
Ian W HollowayUniversity of California, Los Angeles | UCLA · Department of Social Welfare
Ian W Holloway
Ph.D., M.S.W., M.P.H.
About
169
Publications
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Introduction
My applied social behavioral research focuses on HIV and substance abuse prevention. I am particularly interested in how social networks (both interpersonal and venue-based) influence decision-making related to health risk behavior.
Additional affiliations
July 2011 - July 2012
July 2012 - present
August 2007 - May 2012
Education
August 2007 - May 2012
August 2005 - May 2007
August 2005 - May 2007
Publications
Publications (169)
Introduction
During the summer of 2022, monkeypox (mpox) became a public health emergency primarily affecting members of sexual and gender minority (SGM) communities. Understanding how SGM social media users perceived mpox could inform community-based public health prevention strategies for future disease outbreaks. However, social media platform s...
Sexual minority men (SMM) experience intimate partner violence (IPV) at a substantially high rate and also bear high burdens of adverse mental health outcomes. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to consolidate existing evidence on the associations between experiencing IPV and adverse mental health outcomes (depressive symptoms, anxiety,...
BACKGROUND
Sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals are at heightened risk for substance use and sexually transmitted infections than their non-SGM peers. Collecting mobile phone usage data passively may open new opportunities for personalizing interventions, as behavioral risks could be identified without user input.
OBJECTIVE
Our objective w...
Background
The 2022 monkeypox (mpox) outbreak in Los Angeles County (LAC) emphasized the need to prepare for emergent infectious disease outbreaks. Vaccination and promotion of sexual risk reduction practices appeared successful in LAC, as mpox cases declined starting in August. Nonetheless, questions persisted regarding the effectiveness of target...
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), including daily oral, on-demand, and long-acting injectable (LAI), is a promising HIV prevention intervention for men who have sex with men (MSM). We conducted a systematic review on engagement with the PrEP continuum among MSM in China. A total of 756 studies were initially identified and 36 studies were included (...
Background
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) uptake remains low among people who could benefit, some of whom may prefer alternatives to oral PrEP such as long-acting injectable PrEP (LAI-PrEP). We evaluated the potential for LAI-PrEP provision in pharmacies through a mixed methods study of pharmacists in California, where Senate Bill 159 enables phar...
BACKGROUND
Sexual and gender minority (SGM) young people are disproportionately affected by HIV in the United States, and substance use is a major driver of new infections. People who use online venues to meet sexual partners are more likely to report substance use, sexual risk behaviors, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). To our knowledge...
Purpose: We explored correlates of cannabis risk and examined differences between sexual and gender minority (SGM) and cisgender heterosexual emerging adults (ages 18-29) in California. Methods: We recruited 1491 participants aged 18-29 years for a cross-sectional online survey. Ordinal logistic regressions assessed associations between minority st...
Compared to their heterosexual and cisgender peers, young sexual and gender minority (YSGM) people are more likely to contract sexually transmitted infections (STIs; e.g., HIV) and to face adverse consequences of emerging infections, such as COVID-19 and mpox. To reduce these sexual health disparities, technology-based interventions (TBIs) for STIs...
Background
Pharmacies are a promising setting through which to expand access to HIV prevention, including pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP and PEP). We aimed to evaluate and inform the implementation of California’s Senate Bill 159 (2019), allowing pharmacists to independently prescribe PrEP and PEP.
Methods
From October–December 2022, we...
Social well-being is one of three components of the World Health Organization’s definition of health. Yet, little is known about social well-being among people living with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), particularly Black sexual minority men living with HIV. Extant research suggests both intrapsychic (e.g., identity integration, internalized s...
Little is known whether engagement in sexual behaviors associated with potential HIV risks differs by subgroups of men who have sex with men (MSM), who are distinct regarding patterns of use of online tools for partner-seeking. Using latent class analysis, we revealed four classes of app-using MSM (n = 181, 18–34 y.o., 82.4% identified as White and...
This study examined the associations between violence victimization, homelessness, and severe mental illness (SMI) among people who use opioids (PWUOs) in three U.S. cities. We analyzed data from a cross-sectional survey conducted from May 2019 to February 2020 across three study sites: Los Angeles, CA; Las Vegas, NV; and Atlanta, GA. We used multi...
Despite affecting nearly 3% of active-duty service members, little is known about how LGBT-related stress experiences may relate to health outcomes. Thus, the present study sought to create a Military Minority Stress Scale and assess its initial reliability and construct validity in a cross-sectional study of active-duty LGBT service members (N = 2...
Purpose
We sought to understand technology-based communication regarding mpox (monkeypox) among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) during the global outbreak in 2022.
Methods
Forty-four GBMSM (Mage = 25.3 years, 68.2% cisgender, 43.2% non-White) living in the United States participated. From May 2022 to August 2022, all tex...
Purpose: We examined associations between vaccine confidence and COVID-19 vaccine uptake among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM). Methods: Computer-assisted self-interviews were conducted among 249 GBMSM participating in mSTUDY from May to October 2021-a cohort of GBMSM with a history of substance use in Los Angeles. Data w...
Introduction
Sexual and gender minority (SGM) nicotine and tobacco use disparities are well-documented among youth and young adults (YYA), and despite decades of prevention efforts, these disparities stubbornly persist. To better understand tobacco use disparities and craft tailored interventions, tobacco use patterns must be assessed in a contempo...
Our Twitter data analysis suggests that the mpox (monkeypox) crisis may have further catalyzed online hate and stereotyping against GBMSM. The polarization of such hate can negatively affect the well-being of GBMSM at individual and systemic levels, specifically in the areas of health, mental health, and health care service. We provide recommendati...
PurposeWith the advancement of antiretroviral therapy (ART), HIV/AIDS has become a manageable illness, similar to other chronic conditions. This study examined the associations between HIV stigma and patient-reported outcomes including mental health symptoms, life satisfaction, and quality of life among Black sexual minority men with HIV.Methods
We...
Background:
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, San Francisco County (SFC) had to shift many non-emergency healthcare resources to COVID-19, reducing HIV control resources. We sought to quantify COVID-19 effects on HIV burden among men who have sex with men (MSM) as SFC returns to pre-COVID service levels and progresses towards the Ending the HI...
Purpose
We aimed to describe the prevalence of IPV victimization, changes of experiencing IPV victimization, and examined factors associated with more severe or frequent IPV victimization since the COVID-19 crisis among a global sample of sexual minority men (SMM).
Methods
Data were collected between October and November 2020 through a gay social...
Adult immunization coverage remains low in the US, particularly for people who use drugs (PWUD), a population that experiences a disproportionate burden of vaccine-preventable diseases. The extent of and characteristics associated with vaccine confidence (VC) held by PWUD is poorly understood. As VC strongly correlates with vaccine uptake, this cro...
Background
Outbreaks of new HIV transmission among people who inject drugs (PWID) are a major public health concern. Oral daily PrEP, has been identified as a critical addition to the biomedical toolkit for this population. However, limited research on the acceptability of long-acting injectable PrEP has been conducted with this population.
Method...
Novel sampling methods have been utilized to reach “hidden” and “hard-to-reach” populations. These communities are referred to in this way because they are also stigmatized and may not wish to disclose their identities to researchers. Men who have sex with men, people who inject drugs, and female sex workers, for example, have been sampled using re...
Racial and ethnic minority men who have sex with men (MSM) are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS in Los Angeles County (LAC), an important epicenter in the battle to end HIV. We examine tradeoffs between effectiveness and equality of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) allocation strategies among different racial and ethnic groups of MSM in LAC a...
Background:
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is essential to ending HIV. Yet, uptake remains uneven across racial and ethnic groups. We aimed to estimate the impacts of alternative PrEP implementation strategies in Los Angeles County.
Setting:
Men who have sex with men, residing in Los Angeles County.
Methods:
We developed a microsimulation mod...
Background
Men who have sex with men (MSM) residing outside of large urban areas are underrepresented in research on online partner seeking and sexual behaviors related to transmission of HIV.
Objective
We aimed to determine associations between the use of the internet or social networking apps (online tools) to meet partners for sex, dating, or f...
As COVID-19 continues to persist, there is a need to examine its impact among sexual and gender minority individuals, especially those with intersecting vulnerabilities. We conducted a cross-sectional survey with a global sample of sexual and gender minority individuals (n = 21,795) from October 25, 2020 to November 19, 2020, through a social netwo...
Objectives: Accumulating evidence suggests that there may be differences in sexual behaviors, condom use, and HIV prevention service utilization (e.g., HIV testing, PrEP use) between gay and bisexual men, but this remains under-explored, especially among gay and bisexual men in China. Methods: We surveyed 4,142 gay and bisexual men on a geosocial n...
Background
Preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a promising biomedical intervention for HIV prevention. Researchers have proposed the PrEP care continuum to guide and evaluate PrEP implementation programs. Technology-based interventions (TBIs) have been widely used in HIV prevention and treatment programs, including for the promotion of the PrEP care...
Purpose of Review
The differential impact of the COVID-19 and HIV pandemics on marginalized communities has renewed calls for more robust and deeper investigation into structural and social causes of health inequities contributing to these infections, including underlying factors related to systematic racism. Using the Social Determinants of Health...
Background:
Although HIV antiretroviral treatment (ART) access and uptake have increased among racial/ethnic minority individuals, lower rates of ART adherence and viral suppression persist, especially among Black men who have sex with men (BMSM) compared with their White counterparts.
Setting:
Black men who have sex with men living with HIV (BM...
BACKGROUND
Men who have sex with men (MSM) residing outside of large urban areas are underrepresented in research on online partner seeking and sexual behaviors related to transmission of HIV.
OBJECTIVE
We aimed to determine associations between the use of the internet or social networking apps ( online tools ) to meet partners for sex, dating, or...
Background
In 2018, 2 million Americans met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition diagnostic criteria for an opioid use disorder, and 9.9 million Americans had misused prescription pain relievers the previous year. Despite a rapid increase in opioid misuse, opioid use disorders, and overdoses, data are limited on th...
Background
Racial and ethnic minority men who have sex with men (MSM) are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS in Los Angeles County (LAC), an important epicenter in the battle to end HIV. Our objective is to examine tradeoffs between effectiveness and equality of PrEP allocation strategies among different racial and ethnic groups of MSM in LAC....
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has limited availability across Latin America, though access is increasing. We explored PrEP uptake in Mexico via an online survey completed by Spanish-speaking, Hornet geosocial networking application (GSN app) users without HIV (n = 2020). Most (81.3%) had heard of PrEP, 3.5% were current users, and 34.2% intended...
BACKGROUND
Preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a promising biomedical intervention for HIV prevention. Researchers have proposed the PrEP care continuum to guide and evaluate PrEP implementation programs. Technology-based interventions (TBIs) have been widely used in HIV prevention and treatment programs, including for the promotion of the PrEP care...
Introduction
The US Military is experiencing a rise in HIV infections among gay and bisexual men (GBM) serving on active duty, yet little is known about this population’s uptake of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), an evidence-based intervention for HIV prevention. This mixed methods study examines the facilitators and barriers to PrEP access and up...
LAY SUMMARY
The U.S. military has undergone several changes in policies toward lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) service members over the past decade. Some LGBT service members report continued victimization and fear of disclosing their LGBT identity, which can affect retention of LGBT personnel serving in the military. However, there...
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) access is increasing in Latin America. We explored PrEP use among Spanish-speaking, Hornet geosocial networking application users from Latin American countries with limited PrEP data via an online survey completed between December 2018 and February 2019. A total of 718 Hornet users from 10 countries were included, of...
Previous research highlights the need to better understand the complex relationships between factors marginalizing Black men who have sex with men and women (MSMW) living with HIV, including HIV stigma, trauma, and hegemonic masculinity. We examined associations between gender role conflict (GRC), trauma, and HIV stigma in Black MSMW living with HI...
Abstract Background Tobacco smoking using a hookah (i.e., waterpipe) is a global epidemic. While evidence suggests that sexual minorities (SM) have higher odds of hookah use compared to heterosexuals, little is known about their hookah use patterns and transitions. We sought to examine transitions between hookah smoking and use of other tobacco and...
IntroductionMost transgender individuals are banned from serving in and joining the U.S. military. Historically, exclusions and limits have been placed on women, people of color, and sexual minority people seeking to serve and advance within the U.S. military. However, both history and prior research demonstrate that diversity contributes to social...
IntroductionPolicies regarding lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) military service members in the U.S. have changed dramatically over the last nine years. Cisgender LGB service members can now disclose their authentic identity without threat of discharge. Open transgender service was banned, then permitted, then banned again. Limited em...
This study examined associations between transgender women’s social network characteristics, perceived network member HIV risk/protective behaviors and HIV testing conversations between transgender women and their network members. From July 2015 to September 2016, 264 transgender women who nominated 2529 social network members completed surveys on...
In the US, adult immunization coverage remains low, especially among vulnerable populations, as recent hepatitis A outbreaks have demonstrated. We studied the vaccination history variation among the US adults who use drugs by implementing a community-engaged research survey to identify reported immunization coverage, missed opportunities (MO), and...
Purpose:
The aim of this study was to examine health risk behaviors and mental health outcomes among sexual minority and transgender active duty military service members and their heterosexual and cisgender counterparts.
Methods:
Participants (N = 544) were recruited by using respondent-driven sampling between August 2017 and March 2018 and comple...
Physical distancing measures, designed to limit the spread of COVID-19, have been implemented globally. We sought to understand how physical distancing impacts gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM), a group disproportionately affected by poor health outcomes. A cross-sectional online survey on Hornet, a networking application (N...
There is an urgent need to measure the impacts of COVID-19 among gay men and other men who have sex with men (MSM). We conducted a cross-sectional survey with a global sample of gay men and other MSM (n = 2732) from April 16, 2020 to May 4, 2020, through a social networking app. We characterized the economic, mental health, HIV prevention and HIV t...
Background
Black sexual minority men (BSMM) are disproportionately affected by HIV. Los Angeles County (LAC) carries a substantial burden of the HIV epidemic in California. Negative effects of both psychosocial and structural barriers highlight the timely need to increase HIV treatment among BSMM. Successful HIV interventions based on social media...
Heterosexual anal intercourse (HAI) is an understudied sexual behavior and poses unique challenges to the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). This study aimed to explore individual and partnership characteristics associated with HAI. This study used data collected from 243 young people who attended STD clinics in Los Angeles County...
This study explored familiarity with, attitudes toward, uptake and discontinuation of PrEP (Pre-exposure prophylaxis) among a national probability sample of gay and bisexual men. PrEP is one of the most effective biomedical HIV prevention strategies; however, use among gay and bisexual men remains low within the United States. This study used a nat...
Male sex workers (MSW) in the Dominican Republic (DR) have multiple sexual partners, including personal and client-relationships, and are disproportionately affected by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). We examined the prevalence of condomless anal and/or vaginal intercourse (CI) among MSW in the DR as a function of social network factors. Self-r...
Knowledge surrounding perceived network support and alcohol consumption among active duty U.S. military personnel is limited, particularly among sexual minorities.
We sought to determine the correlates of hazardous alcohol consumption and whether perceived network support moderated the relationship between sexual orientation and Alcohol Use Identif...
BACKGROUND
In 2018, 2 million Americans met the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for an opioid use disorder and 9.9 million had misused prescription pain relievers the previous year. Despite a rapid increase in opioid misuse, opioid use disorders, and overdoses, data is limited on the behavioral and contextual risk as well as protective factors fueling th...
Prior research among military personnel has indicated that sexual harassment, stalking, and sexual assault during military service are related to negative health sequelae. However, research specific to LGBT U.S. service members is limited. The current study aimed to explore the health, service utilization, and service-related impact of stalking and...
Despite PrEP's effectiveness as an HIV prevention intervention, uptake among gay and bisexual men remains low. Historical involvement in AIDS activism may reveal important ways of mobilis-ing gay and bisexual men to increase PrEP uptake. Data come from a qualitative study to understand New York City gay and bisexual men's experiences with PrEP. Inf...
Background: Emerging evidence indicates that all stages of the continuum of HIV care and prevention are being upended. As COVID-19 continues to spread across the globe, it leaves people living with and at-risk for HIV, particularly vulnerable
Objectives: To characterize the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on communities living with or at-risk for...
Despite repeal of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy in 2011 and the ban on open transgender service from 2016 to 2019, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) service members may be reluctant to disclose their identities to fellow military personnel. This study used data collected through the Department of
Defense–funded mixed methods researc...
Recruitment of soldiers from diverse backgrounds has increasingly become a priority for the U.S. military. Although there has been success in recruiting a more diverse and representative military workforce, perceptions of acceptance of minority military personnel remains underexplored. The present study sought to measure perceptions of acceptance a...
As cases of COVID‐19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus (SARS‐CoV‐2), continue to spread globally, public health experts have warned about the devastating impact this pandemic may have on society's most vulnerable(1). Meanwhile, another public health crisis, the opioid epidemic, rages on throughout the U.S. (2, 3). In other parts of the w...
BACKGROUND
Online social media networks provide an abundance of diverse information that can be leveraged for data-driven applications across various social and physical sciences. One opportunity to utilize such data exists in the public health domain, where data collection is often constrained by organizational funding and limited user adoption. F...
Background
Social media networks provide an abundance of diverse information that can be leveraged for data-driven applications across various social and physical sciences. One opportunity to utilize such data exists in the public health domain, where data collection is often constrained by organizational funding and limited user adoption. Furtherm...
There is an urgent need to measure the impacts of COVID-19 among gay men and other men who have sex with men (MSM). We conducted a cross-sectional survey with a global sample of gay men and other MSM (n= 2732) from April 16, 2020 to May 4, 2020, through a social networking app. We characterized the economic, mental health, HIV prevention and HIV tr...
COVID-19 pandemic increases socioeconomic vulnerability of LGBTI+ communities and their susceptibility to HIV
BACKGROUND
Black sexual minority men (BSMM) are disproportionately affected by HIV. Los Angeles County (LAC) carries a substantial burden of the HIV epidemic in California. Negative effects of both psychosocial and structural barriers highlight the timely need to increase HIV treatment among BSMM. Successful HIV interventions based on social media...
Purpose:
We assessed how psychological distress and felt stigma (perceived sexual minority stigma in one's community) are associated with key HIV prevention outcomes in a U.S. national probability sample of sexually active, HIV-negative sexual minority men.
Methods:
Using data from the Generations study (2017-2018, N = 285), the present study asse...
Transgender women ("trans women") are disproportionately impacted by HIV; yet there are few interventions tailored for trans women. This study employed qualitative methods to better understand how trans women's social networks and technology-based networking platforms may be leveraged in developing health promotion strategies for this high-priority...
Sexual victimization, including sexual harassment and assault, remains a persistent problem in the U.S. military. Service members identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) may face enhanced risk, but existing research is limited. We examined experiences of sexual harassment, stalking, and sexual assault victimization during servi...
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a highly effective biobehavioral strategy for preventing HIV acquisition. Although PrEP uptake has increased steadily, discontinuation rates are high among members of key populations like gay and bisexual men (GBM). Understanding the challenges that arise for PrEP users is key to better PrEP implementation and sus...
Recent outbreaks of serogroup C meningococcal disease in Southern California have led the California Department of Public Health to recommend the quadrivalent meningococcal vaccine (MenACWY) for gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) in Southern California. High-risk GBMSM have also been advised to utilize pre-exposure prophylax...
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has altered the public health landscape for gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBM) by significantly increasing protection against HIV infection. Early epidemiologic data showed GBM generally used PrEP as prescribed, i.e., as an additional protective tool over and above barrier protection, although s...
Purpose of Review
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a potent HIV prevention strategy, but uptake of daily oral PrEP remains low. This review covers PrEP agents currently available and agents and modalities under investigation.
Recent Findings
Injectable ARV preparations have high acceptability among users but are likely to require adherence to 8-...
Preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has been demonstrated effective at preventing HIV among key populations like gay and bisexual men (GBM). Yet, there remains a continued need to engage GBM in PrEP behavioral and clinical research (e.g., to monitor adherence and retention in the PrEP treatment cascade). Objectives: We report on the factors motivating G...
This study examined the empirical structure (i.e., size, density, duration) of transgender women’s social networks and estimated how network alters’ perceived HIV risk/protective behaviors influenced transgender women’s own HIV risk/protective behaviors. From July 2015 to September 2016, 271 transgender women completed surveys on sociodemographic c...