Extent and implications of omitted ties on network measures in a longitudinal social network survey of people who use drugs

Elizabeth M. Upton; Abby E. Rudolph; Patrick J. Ward; Jennifer R. Havens; April M. Young

doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2022.109554

Extent and implications of omitted ties on network measures in a longitudinal social network survey of people who use drugs

Elizabeth M. Upton
, Abby E. Rudolph
, Patrick J. Ward
, Jennifer R. Havens
, April M. Young

Producción científica: Article › revisión exhaustiva

3 Citas (Scopus)

Resumen

Background: Previous research has revealed under-reporting of personal network members (i.e., alters) in studies involving people who use drugs (PWUD). This analysis (1) characterizes relationships that were more likely to be omitted but later recalled with prompting and (2) identifies network structural characteristics most impacted by these omissions among a sample of PWUD in rural Appalachian Kentucky, an epicenter of the opioid epidemic. Methods: Data were collected through longitudinal assessments as part of the Social Networks Among Appalachian People (SNAP) study (2008–2017). Study participants completed interviewer-administered questionnaires that collected social network data via free-listing at baseline and six-month intervals. At visit 5, after free-listing, interviewers prompted participants with the names of previously reported alters. We used modified Poisson regression with generalized estimating equations to identify individual- and relationship-level characteristics associated with an alter being reported only after prompting. We examined the impact of including vs. excluding relationships reported after prompting on local and global sociometric network measures (i.e., betweenness centrality, bridging, density, mean degree, transitivity, cliques, and 2-cores). Results: Relationships reported only after prompting were more likely to be immediate family (Adjusted Prevalence Ratio [APR]:1.29; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.03–1.63) and less likely to involve sex (APR:0.54; 95% CI: 0.43–0.67). Considerable differences were observed for participant positional rankings of betweenness centrality and bridging, and differences in network density and average degree pre- and post-prompting were statistically significant. Conclusion: Longitudinal network studies that aim to assess transmission dynamics, information diffusion, or peer influence should consider the effects of omitted relationships.

Idioma original	English
Número de artículo	109554
Publicación	Drug and Alcohol Dependence
Volumen	238
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2022.109554
Estado	Published - sept 1 2022

Nota bibliográfica

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Elsevier B.V.

Financiación

This work was supported by grants R01 DA024598 and R01 DA033862 to investigator Jennifer Havens from the National Institute on Drug Abuse and grant R21 AI131979 to investigator Abby E. Rudolph from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases . The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH. Any findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the organizations or agencies that provided support for this project. This work was supported by grants R01 DA024598 and R01 DA033862 to investigator Jennifer Havens from the National Institute on Drug Abuse and grant R21 AI131979 to investigator Abby E. Rudolph from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH. Any findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the organizations or agencies that provided support for this project.

Financiadores	Número del financiador
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Author National Institute on Drug Abuse DA031791 Mark J Ferris National Institute on Drug Abuse DA006634 Mark J Ferris National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism AA026117 Mark J Ferris National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism AA028162 Elizabeth G Pitts National Institute of General Medical Sciences GM102773 Elizabeth G Pitts Peter McManus Charitable Trust Mark J Ferris National Institute on Drug Abuse
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases	R21AI131979

ODS de las Naciones Unidas

Este resultado contribuye a los siguientes Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible

Good health and well being

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Toxicology
Pharmacology
Psychiatry and Mental health
Pharmacology (medical)

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@article{8ea6252f039146f590d85524918a8d6e,

title = "Extent and implications of omitted ties on network measures in a longitudinal social network survey of people who use drugs",

abstract = "Background: Previous research has revealed under-reporting of personal network members (i.e., alters) in studies involving people who use drugs (PWUD). This analysis (1) characterizes relationships that were more likely to be omitted but later recalled with prompting and (2) identifies network structural characteristics most impacted by these omissions among a sample of PWUD in rural Appalachian Kentucky, an epicenter of the opioid epidemic. Methods: Data were collected through longitudinal assessments as part of the Social Networks Among Appalachian People (SNAP) study (2008–2017). Study participants completed interviewer-administered questionnaires that collected social network data via free-listing at baseline and six-month intervals. At visit 5, after free-listing, interviewers prompted participants with the names of previously reported alters. We used modified Poisson regression with generalized estimating equations to identify individual- and relationship-level characteristics associated with an alter being reported only after prompting. We examined the impact of including vs. excluding relationships reported after prompting on local and global sociometric network measures (i.e., betweenness centrality, bridging, density, mean degree, transitivity, cliques, and 2-cores). Results: Relationships reported only after prompting were more likely to be immediate family (Adjusted Prevalence Ratio [APR]:1.29; 95\% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.03–1.63) and less likely to involve sex (APR:0.54; 95\% CI: 0.43–0.67). Considerable differences were observed for participant positional rankings of betweenness centrality and bridging, and differences in network density and average degree pre- and post-prompting were statistically significant. Conclusion: Longitudinal network studies that aim to assess transmission dynamics, information diffusion, or peer influence should consider the effects of omitted relationships.",

keywords = "Persons who use drugs, Rural, Social network analysis, Substance use",

author = "Upton, \{Elizabeth M.\} and Rudolph, \{Abby E.\} and Ward, \{Patrick J.\} and Havens, \{Jennifer R.\} and Young, \{April M.\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 Elsevier B.V.",

year = "2022",

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day = "1",

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T1 - Extent and implications of omitted ties on network measures in a longitudinal social network survey of people who use drugs

AU - Upton, Elizabeth M.

AU - Rudolph, Abby E.

AU - Ward, Patrick J.

AU - Havens, Jennifer R.

AU - Young, April M.

PY - 2022/9/1

Y1 - 2022/9/1

N2 - Background: Previous research has revealed under-reporting of personal network members (i.e., alters) in studies involving people who use drugs (PWUD). This analysis (1) characterizes relationships that were more likely to be omitted but later recalled with prompting and (2) identifies network structural characteristics most impacted by these omissions among a sample of PWUD in rural Appalachian Kentucky, an epicenter of the opioid epidemic. Methods: Data were collected through longitudinal assessments as part of the Social Networks Among Appalachian People (SNAP) study (2008–2017). Study participants completed interviewer-administered questionnaires that collected social network data via free-listing at baseline and six-month intervals. At visit 5, after free-listing, interviewers prompted participants with the names of previously reported alters. We used modified Poisson regression with generalized estimating equations to identify individual- and relationship-level characteristics associated with an alter being reported only after prompting. We examined the impact of including vs. excluding relationships reported after prompting on local and global sociometric network measures (i.e., betweenness centrality, bridging, density, mean degree, transitivity, cliques, and 2-cores). Results: Relationships reported only after prompting were more likely to be immediate family (Adjusted Prevalence Ratio [APR]:1.29; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.03–1.63) and less likely to involve sex (APR:0.54; 95% CI: 0.43–0.67). Considerable differences were observed for participant positional rankings of betweenness centrality and bridging, and differences in network density and average degree pre- and post-prompting were statistically significant. Conclusion: Longitudinal network studies that aim to assess transmission dynamics, information diffusion, or peer influence should consider the effects of omitted relationships.

AB - Background: Previous research has revealed under-reporting of personal network members (i.e., alters) in studies involving people who use drugs (PWUD). This analysis (1) characterizes relationships that were more likely to be omitted but later recalled with prompting and (2) identifies network structural characteristics most impacted by these omissions among a sample of PWUD in rural Appalachian Kentucky, an epicenter of the opioid epidemic. Methods: Data were collected through longitudinal assessments as part of the Social Networks Among Appalachian People (SNAP) study (2008–2017). Study participants completed interviewer-administered questionnaires that collected social network data via free-listing at baseline and six-month intervals. At visit 5, after free-listing, interviewers prompted participants with the names of previously reported alters. We used modified Poisson regression with generalized estimating equations to identify individual- and relationship-level characteristics associated with an alter being reported only after prompting. We examined the impact of including vs. excluding relationships reported after prompting on local and global sociometric network measures (i.e., betweenness centrality, bridging, density, mean degree, transitivity, cliques, and 2-cores). Results: Relationships reported only after prompting were more likely to be immediate family (Adjusted Prevalence Ratio [APR]:1.29; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.03–1.63) and less likely to involve sex (APR:0.54; 95% CI: 0.43–0.67). Considerable differences were observed for participant positional rankings of betweenness centrality and bridging, and differences in network density and average degree pre- and post-prompting were statistically significant. Conclusion: Longitudinal network studies that aim to assess transmission dynamics, information diffusion, or peer influence should consider the effects of omitted relationships.

KW - Persons who use drugs

KW - Rural

KW - Social network analysis

KW - Substance use

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AN - SCOPUS:85134717704

SN - 0376-8716

VL - 238

JO - Drug and Alcohol Dependence

JF - Drug and Alcohol Dependence

M1 - 109554

ER -

Extent and implications of omitted ties on network measures in a longitudinal social network survey of people who use drugs

Resumen

Nota bibliográfica

Financiación

ODS de las Naciones Unidas

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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