Exposure to IPV is influenced by the characteristics of the environments where women live and spend time, as well as their level of support from social networks. People in social networks provide emotional and resource support and role model risk and protective health behaviors. This is an emerging area of work in the Threads Research Lab. We are examining how place and social networks connect to daily activities and areas where we can strengthen IPV prevention efforts.

Social Networks

RESEARCH

The people in our networks can help us stay healthy through emotional support, resources, and modeling protective behaviors.

Select Projects

Place-based Determinants of Violence Experiences among Black Queer Young Women in Baltimore, (GBMF9048), Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
In this 3 year project (2020-2023), we are using human-centered design to examine how young survivors maintain safety throughout the daily routines of their day. We are also examining how feelings of safety are affected by the people in their social networks.

The TANGLED Research Study for Young Women: Social Networks, Risk Behaviors, and Intimate Partner Violence among Socially Disadvantaged Black Young Sexual Minority Cis-Women, (K12HD085845) Alexander (Trainee), D. Ford (PI), S. Sherman (Co-I), K. Tobin (Co-I), 7/1/2018 -12/31/2020 Building Interdisciplinary Research in Women’s Health, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Office of Women’s Health

Select Publications

Szanton, S., Alexander, K.A., Kim, B., Li, Q., Gee, G., Bandeen-Roche, K., Adkins-Jackson, P., Hladek, M., Samuel, L., Haozous, E., Okoye, S., Crews, D., Thorpe, R. (in press) Life space and activity space measurement: Making ‘room’ for structural racism. The Gerontologist.

Willie, T.C., Stockman, J., Keene, D. Calabrese, D., Alexander, K.A., Kershaw, T.S. (2019).Social networks and its impact on women’s awareness, interest, and uptake of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP): Implications for women experiencing intimate partner violence. Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. 80(4): 386-93.doi: 10.1097/QAI.00000000001935, PMID: 30570528

Latkin, C., Davey-Rothwell, M. A., Knowlton, A. R., Alexander, K. A., Boodram, B., & Williams, C. T. (2013). Social network approaches to recruitment, HIV prevention, medical care, and medication adherence, Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, 63(1), S54-S58. doi: 10.1097/QAI.0b013e3182928e2a.