# Social Networks and Cognitive Health among Black and Latino sexual minority men in NJ

> **NIH NIH R01** · RUTGERS BIOMEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES · 2024 · $739,827

## Abstract

Project Summary
This proposed study, aligned with RFA-AG-24-025, aims to address how interpersonal processes and social
network characteristics of aging Black and Latino sexual minority men (SMM) facilitate or impede health
behaviors affecting cognitive performance. Little is known about the mechanisms of health behavior change
within social networks over time in aging Black and Latino SMM. Our proposal will address critical gaps in
knowledge that have prevented the development of effective social network interventions to promote social and
physical activities and maintain cognitive health among aging Black and Latino SMM.This will be achieved by
using respondent-driven sampling (RDS) to establish a cohort of 400 aging Black and Latino SMM in Essex,
Bergen, and Hudson counties, New Jersey in order to assess the following specific aims: 1) Cross-sectionally
elucidate the association between interpersonal (intersectional stigma and social support) and social network
characteristics and health behaviors (social and physical activities) among aging Black and Latino SMM; 2)
longitudinally examine interpersonal and social network characteristics (network stability, density, centrality)
that act to promote or impede social and physical activities; and 3) longitudinally examine variability in
interpersonal and social network characteristics and their time-lagged relationships with subsequent trends in
social and physical activities and cognitive performance. Our research will establish critical knowledge that will
improve the understanding of pathways and processes of interpersonal and social network influences on
health behaviors associated with cognitive performance. It will provide important new information for the future
development of strengths-based interventions intended to boost the ability of aging Black and Latino SMM to
leverage protective social network effects.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10978593
- **Project number:** 1R01AG089099-01
- **Recipient organization:** RUTGERS BIOMEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES
- **Principal Investigator:** Mackey R Friedman
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $739,827
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-09-23 → 2029-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10978593

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10978593, Social Networks and Cognitive Health among Black and Latino sexual minority men in NJ (1R01AG089099-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10978593. Licensed CC0.

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