Demarc A Hickson
Biographic Data
| ID | 75759 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Demarc A Hickson |
| GIVEN NAMES | Demarc A |
| FAMILY NAME | Hickson |
| SIGNATURE | HICKSON D A |
| AFFILIATIONS | My Brother's Keeper |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-9379-8960 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 42 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 152 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 42 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2009 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 7 |
Psychometric Validation of the Connectedness to the LGBT Community Scale among Black Sexual Minority Men Living with HIV
Purpose: LGBTQ + community connectedness is generally a protective health factor for sexual and gender minorities. However, existing scales have not been validated among Black sexual minority men living with HIV (SMMLWH), who face unique marginalized experiences that disproportionately impact several health outcomes compared to the general LGBT + community. We validated the Connectedness to the LGBT Community Scale among Black SMMLWH. Methods: We…
From Tanzania to Washington, DC: Application of the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research and Adapt-ITT Model to Guide the Development of a Community-Based PrEP Intervention for Black Adu…
Extreme Community PrEP Stigma Perceptions as a Potential Deterrent to PrEP Use Among Black and Latino Men Who Have Sex with Men in the Deep South
Black and Latino men who have sex with men (MSM) in the Deep South have the lowest HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) use rates in the United States, and PrEP stigma may deter PrEP use. However, most research on PrEP stigma is at the interpersonal level, which hinders the development of community-level PrEP anti-stigma campaigns. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a secondary analysis of an online survey of Black and Latino MSM in the D…
Barriers to Gender-Affirming Care, Health Care Services, and Experiences of Health Care Provider Bias Among Transgender People in Nigeria
In the current study, we explored barriers to accessing gender-affirming care among transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) people in Nigeria. Between February and September 2021, we conducted focus group discussions with 25 adult TGD individuals residing in Nigeria. We found (1) a lack of trans-competent health care providers, (2) high medical costs, (3) limited access to accurate health information, (4) experiences of transphobia, and (5) a lack o…
Validating the Anal Sex Stigma Scale among Black Sexual Minority Men Living with HIV
Anal sex stigma substantially affects sexual minority men (SMM), particularly regarding sexual roles and the implications of identifying as a "top" or "bottom." The intersection of negative perceptions regarding race, sexuality, and health status could intensify anal sex stigma effects among Black SMM living with HIV. However, there are few validated tools to measure this form of stigma among this demographic. Therefore, this study tested the psy…
Sexual Orientation, HIV Vulnerability-Enhancing Behaviors and HIV Status Neutral Care Among Black Cisgender Sexual Minority Men in the Deep South: The N2 Cohort Study
Parental Sexuality Disclosure, Discrimination, and Depression Among Black Sexual Minority Men and Black Transgender Women
Racial and sexuality-based discrimination can induce depressive symptoms among Black sexual minority men and transgender women (BSMM/BTW). BSMM and BTW who disclose their sexuality to parents may be better prepared to cope with discrimination. We explored the relationship between discrimination and depression among BSMM and BTW and whether parental disclosure modified this relationship. Secondary analysis of The MARI Study was used to test the re…
Demographics and Health Beliefs of Black Gay, Bisexual, and Other Sexual Minority Men Receiving a Mpox Vaccination in the United States
Psychometric Testing of the Daily Spiritual Experiences Scale (DSES) Among Black Gay, Bisexual, and Other Sexual Minority Men (SMM) and Black Transwomen in the Deep South: The Mari Study
Assessing the Influence of Child Sexual Behavior on Depression among Black SMM in the Southeastern United States
Limited studies have examined the associations between child sexual abuse (CSA) and depression among Black sexual minority men (SMM) in the Southeastern United States (US). As, such, the current study examined the critical gap in understanding the impact of CSA on Black SMM's mental health. Specifically, we tested the associations between contextual CSA factors and depression among a large population-based sample of Black SMM living in two cities…
Vital Voices: HIV Prevention and Care Interventions Developed for Disproportionately Affected Communities by Historically Underrepresented, Early-Career Scientists
Higher Rates of Low Socioeconomic Status, Marginalization, and Stress in Black Transgender Women Compared to Black Cisgender MSM in The Mari Study
Most HIV research combines transgender women who have sex with men (TWSM) with cisgender men who have sex with men (MSM), despite emerging evidence of important differences. Using data from The MARI Study, we compared Black TWSM and Black cisgender MSM on personal and ecological factors. Black TWSM reported more unemployment (71.4% versus 51.4%, p = 0.015), incarceration (52.4% versus 36.0%, p = 0.046), stressful life experiences (median score 13…
Neighborhood social cohesion, religious participation and sexual risk behaviors among cisgender black sexual minority men in the southern United States
To Me, Everybody Is infected: Understanding Narratives about HIV Risk among HIV-negative Black Men Who Have Sex with Men in the Deep South
For black MSM living in the Deep South, the intersection of sexuality, race, and geography impacts HIV risk substantially. Between July and September 2016, we conducted a qualitative study among HIV-negative black MSM in five southern cities in the US with elevated HIV prevalence. Analysis included assessment of interrater reliability, cluster analysis, and descriptive statistics. We enrolled 99 black MSM (mean age: 33.6; SD = 12.8; range: 17-68 …
Sexual risk and sexual healthcare utilization profiles among Black sexual minority men in the U.S. Deep South
Black gay, bisexual, and other Black sexual minority men (BSMM) continue to experience negative health outcomes along the HIV prevention and treatment continuum, especially in the U.S. Deep South. The purpose of this study is to identify sexual risk and healthcare utilization profiles behaviors among BSMM in the Deep South. Guided by the Behavioral Model for Vulnerable Populations, latent class analysis was used to identify sexual risk and health…
Prevalence and Correlates of Rectal Douching and Enema Use Among Black Sexual Minority Men and Black Transwomen in the Deep South
Racial Discrimination, Sexual Partner Race/Ethnicity, and Depressive Symptoms Among Black Sexual Minority Men
Associations Between Neighborhood Problems and Sexual Behaviors Among Black Men Who Have Sex with Men in the Deep South: The Mari Study
Comparison of Selected Sociodemographic Characteristics and Sexual Risk Behaviors of Black/African American Men Who Have Sex with Men Only and Men Who Have Sex with Men and Women, Southeastern United …
The Social Context of HIV Prevention and Care among Black Men Who Have Sex with Men in Three U.S. Cities: The Neighborhoods and Networks (N2) Cohort Study
Background: In many parts of the world, stark racial disparities in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevalence, incidence, prevention, and care outcomes persist among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM), with Black MSM significantly impacted in the United States (U.S.). Individual-level characteristics, including sexual behaviors and socioeconomic status, do not fully account for racial/ethnic disparities in HIV among MSM.…
Collecting Mobility Data with GPS Methods to Understand the HIV Environmental Riskscape Among Young Black Men Who Have Sex with Men: A Multi-city Feasibility Study in the Deep South
Stigma, medical mistrust, and perceived racism may affect PrEP awareness and uptake in black compared to white gay and bisexual men in Jackson, Mississippi and Boston, Massachusetts
Gay and bisexual men and other men who have sex with men (MSM) account for more than two thirds of new HIV infections in the U.S., with Black MSM experiencing the greatest burden. Antiretroviral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) can reduce MSM's vulnerability to HIV infection. Uptake of PrEP has been limited, particularly among racial and ethnic minority MSM. Four semi-structured focus groups with gay and bisexual men and other MSM at risk for HIV …
Post-exposure prophylaxis awareness and use among men who have sex with men in London who use geosocial-networking smartphone applications
The number of new HIV infections continues to be on the rise in many high-income countries, most notably among men who have sex with men (MSM). Despite recent attention to the use of antiretroviral medications as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among MSM, considerably less research has been devoted to examining the awareness and use of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). Based on a convenience sample of 179 self-reported HIV-uninfected MSM using a g…
Identification and involvement with the gay community among men who have sex with men in Atlanta who use geosocial-networking smartphone applications
Geosocial-networking smartphone applications represent an increasingly common virtual context in which men who have sex with men (MSM) meet one another. The purpose of the current study is to describe levels of involvement with the mainstream gay community among a sample of MSM in Atlanta who use apps (n = 92) and assess their associations with condomless anal intercourse. Among the sample, 53.3% agreed that they felt distant from the gay communi…
The Associations of Resilience and HIV Risk Behaviors Among Black Gay, Bisexual, Other Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) in the Deep South: The Mari Study
Perceived discrimination is associated with health behaviours among African-Americans in the Jackson Heart Study
Higher levels of perceived discrimination were associated with select health behaviours among men and women. Health behaviours offer a potential mechanism through which perceived discrimination affects health in AA
Socioeconomic status, John Henryism and blood pressure among African-Americans in the Jackson Heart Study
Double-jeopardy: The joint impact of neighborhood disadvantage and low social cohesion on cumulative risk of disease among African American men and women in the Jackson Heart Study
Neighborhood Disadvantage, Poor Social Conditions, and Cardiovascular Disease Incidence Among African American Adults in the Jackson Heart Study
Objectives. To examine the impact of neighborhood conditions resulting from racial residential segregation on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in a socioeconomically diverse African American sample. Methods. The study included 4096 African American women (n = 2652) and men (n = 1444) aged 21 to 93 years from the Jackson Heart Study (Jackson, Mississippi; 2000–2011). We assessed neighborhood disadvantage with a composite measure of 8 indicators f…
Subjective social status and psychosocial and metabolic risk factors for cardiovascular disease among African Americans in the Jackson Heart Study
Neighborhood Disadvantage and Cumulative Biological Risk Among a Socioeconomically Diverse Sample of African American Adults: An Examination in the Jackson Heart Study
Associations of Fast Food Restaurant Availability With Dietary Intake and Weight Among African Americans in the Jackson Heart Study, 2000–2004
Objectives. We examined the associations of fast food restaurant (FFR) availability with dietary intake and weight among African Americans in the southeastern United States. Methods. We investigated cross-sectional associations of FFR availability with dietary intake and body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference in 4740 African American Jackson Heart Study participants (55.2 ±12.6 years, 63.3% women). We estimated FFR availability using circu…
Social Patterning of Cumulative Biological Risk by Education and Income Among African Americans
Objectives. We examined the social patterning of cumulative dysregulation of multiple systems, or allostatic load, among African Americans adults. Methods. We examined the cross-sectional associations of socioeconomic status (SES) with summary indices of allostatic load and neuroendocrine, metabolic, autonomic, and immune function components in 4048 Jackson Heart Study participants. Results. Lower education and income were associated with higher …
The contribution of stress to the social patterning of clinical and subclinical CVD risk factors in African Americans: The Jackson Heart Study
Neighborhood social and physical environments and type 2 diabetes mellitus in African Americans: The Jackson Heart Study
Using data from Jackson Heart Study, we investigated the associations of neighborhood social and physical environments with prevalence and incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in African Americans (AA). Among non-diabetic participants at baseline (n=3670), 521 (14.2%) developed T2DM during a median follow-up of 7.3 years. Measures of neighborhood social environments, and food and physical activity resources were derived using survey-and G…
Methods for Retrospective Geocoding in Population Studies: The Jackson Heart Study
Racial Discrimination, Sexual Partner Race/Ethnicity, and Depressive Symptoms Among Black Sexual Minority Men
To Me, Everybody Is infected: Understanding Narratives about HIV Risk among HIV-negative Black Men Who Have Sex with Men in the Deep South
For black MSM living in the Deep South, the intersection of sexuality, race, and geography impacts HIV risk substantially. Between July and September 2016, we conducted a qualitative study among HIV-negative black MSM in five southern cities in the US with elevated HIV prevalence. Analysis included assessment of interrater reliability, cluster analysis, and descriptive statistics. We enrolled 99 black MSM (mean age: 33.6; SD = 12.8; range: 17-68 …
Neighborhood social cohesion, religious participation and sexual risk behaviors among cisgender black sexual minority men in the southern United States
Associations Between Neighborhood Problems and Sexual Behaviors Among Black Men Who Have Sex with Men in the Deep South: The Mari Study
Demographics and Health Beliefs of Black Gay, Bisexual, and Other Sexual Minority Men Receiving a Mpox Vaccination in the United States
Methods for Retrospective Geocoding in Population Studies: The Jackson Heart Study
Associations of Fast Food Restaurant Availability With Dietary Intake and Weight Among African Americans in the Jackson Heart Study, 2000–2004
Objectives. We examined the associations of fast food restaurant (FFR) availability with dietary intake and weight among African Americans in the southeastern United States. Methods. We investigated cross-sectional associations of FFR availability with dietary intake and body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference in 4740 African American Jackson Heart Study participants (55.2 ±12.6 years, 63.3% women). We estimated FFR availability using circu…
Are Religiosity and Spirituality Associated with Obesity Among African Americans in the Southeastern United States (the Jackson Heart Study)
Social Patterning of Cumulative Biological Risk by Education and Income Among African Americans
Objectives. We examined the social patterning of cumulative dysregulation of multiple systems, or allostatic load, among African Americans adults. Methods. We examined the cross-sectional associations of socioeconomic status (SES) with summary indices of allostatic load and neuroendocrine, metabolic, autonomic, and immune function components in 4048 Jackson Heart Study participants. Results. Lower education and income were associated with higher …
Subjective social status and psychosocial and metabolic risk factors for cardiovascular disease among African Americans in the Jackson Heart Study
The contribution of stress to the social patterning of clinical and subclinical CVD risk factors in African Americans: The Jackson Heart Study
Socioeconomic status, John Henryism and blood pressure among African-Americans in the Jackson Heart Study
Joint Effects of Smoking and Sedentary Lifestyle on Lung Function in African Americans: The Jackson Heart Study Cohort
This study examined: (a) differences in lung function between current and non current smokers who had sedentary lifestyles and non sedentary lifestyles and (b) the mediating effect of sedentary lifestyle on the association between smoking and lung function in African Americans. Sedentary lifestyle was defined as the lowest quartile of the total physical activity score. The results of linear and logistic regression analyses revealed that non smoke…
Similarities and Differences in Sexual Risk Behaviors Between Young Black MSM Who Do and Do Not Have Sex with Females
Perceived discrimination is associated with health behaviours among African-Americans in the Jackson Heart Study
Higher levels of perceived discrimination were associated with select health behaviours among men and women. Health behaviours offer a potential mechanism through which perceived discrimination affects health in AA
What is in a label? Multiple meanings of ‘MSM’ among same-gender-loving Black men in Mississippi
Men who have sex with men (MSM) and other same-gender-loving (SGL) men continue to be disproportionately affected by HIV and AIDS, particularly among the Black population. Innovative strategies are needed to support the health of this community; however, public health efforts primarily approach MSM as a monolithic population erasing the diverse identities, practices, and sexualities within and beyond this category. To better understand diversity …
Residential Proximity to Major Roadways Is Not Associated with Cardiac Function in African Americans: Results from the Jackson Heart Study
Cardiovascular disease (CVD), including heart failure, is a major cause of morbidity and mortality, particularly among African Americans. Exposure to ambient air pollution, such as that produced by vehicular traffic, is believed to be associated with heart failure, possibly by impairing cardiac function. We evaluated the cross-sectional association between residential proximity to major roads, a marker of long-term exposure to traffic-related pol…
Association of adiponectin and socioeconomic status in African American men and women: The Jackson heart study
Findings suggest a potential inverse biologic pathway between annual household income and adiponectin among African American men. There was no such finding among women. Findings suggest interventions should be targeted for higher SES African American men to improve adiponectin levels
Neighborhood social and physical environments and type 2 diabetes mellitus in African Americans: The Jackson Heart Study
Using data from Jackson Heart Study, we investigated the associations of neighborhood social and physical environments with prevalence and incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in African Americans (AA). Among non-diabetic participants at baseline (n=3670), 521 (14.2%) developed T2DM during a median follow-up of 7.3 years. Measures of neighborhood social environments, and food and physical activity resources were derived using survey-and G…
Neighborhood Disadvantage, Poor Social Conditions, and Cardiovascular Disease Incidence Among African American Adults in the Jackson Heart Study
Objectives. To examine the impact of neighborhood conditions resulting from racial residential segregation on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in a socioeconomically diverse African American sample. Methods. The study included 4096 African American women (n = 2652) and men (n = 1444) aged 21 to 93 years from the Jackson Heart Study (Jackson, Mississippi; 2000–2011). We assessed neighborhood disadvantage with a composite measure of 8 indicators f…
Double-jeopardy: The joint impact of neighborhood disadvantage and low social cohesion on cumulative risk of disease among African American men and women in the Jackson Heart Study
Neighborhood Disadvantage and Cumulative Biological Risk Among a Socioeconomically Diverse Sample of African American Adults: An Examination in the Jackson Heart Study
Stigma, medical mistrust, and perceived racism may affect PrEP awareness and uptake in black compared to white gay and bisexual men in Jackson, Mississippi and Boston, Massachusetts
Gay and bisexual men and other men who have sex with men (MSM) account for more than two thirds of new HIV infections in the U.S., with Black MSM experiencing the greatest burden. Antiretroviral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) can reduce MSM's vulnerability to HIV infection. Uptake of PrEP has been limited, particularly among racial and ethnic minority MSM. Four semi-structured focus groups with gay and bisexual men and other MSM at risk for HIV …
Post-exposure prophylaxis awareness and use among men who have sex with men in London who use geosocial-networking smartphone applications
The number of new HIV infections continues to be on the rise in many high-income countries, most notably among men who have sex with men (MSM). Despite recent attention to the use of antiretroviral medications as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among MSM, considerably less research has been devoted to examining the awareness and use of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). Based on a convenience sample of 179 self-reported HIV-uninfected MSM using a g…
Identification and involvement with the gay community among men who have sex with men in Atlanta who use geosocial-networking smartphone applications
Geosocial-networking smartphone applications represent an increasingly common virtual context in which men who have sex with men (MSM) meet one another. The purpose of the current study is to describe levels of involvement with the mainstream gay community among a sample of MSM in Atlanta who use apps (n = 92) and assess their associations with condomless anal intercourse. Among the sample, 53.3% agreed that they felt distant from the gay communi…
The Associations of Resilience and HIV Risk Behaviors Among Black Gay, Bisexual, Other Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) in the Deep South: The Mari Study
Collecting Mobility Data with GPS Methods to Understand the HIV Environmental Riskscape Among Young Black Men Who Have Sex with Men: A Multi-city Feasibility Study in the Deep South
The Social Context of HIV Prevention and Care among Black Men Who Have Sex with Men in Three U.S. Cities: The Neighborhoods and Networks (N2) Cohort Study
Background: In many parts of the world, stark racial disparities in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevalence, incidence, prevention, and care outcomes persist among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM), with Black MSM significantly impacted in the United States (U.S.). Individual-level characteristics, including sexual behaviors and socioeconomic status, do not fully account for racial/ethnic disparities in HIV among MSM.…
Sexual risk and sexual healthcare utilization profiles among Black sexual minority men in the U.S. Deep South
Black gay, bisexual, and other Black sexual minority men (BSMM) continue to experience negative health outcomes along the HIV prevention and treatment continuum, especially in the U.S. Deep South. The purpose of this study is to identify sexual risk and healthcare utilization profiles behaviors among BSMM in the Deep South. Guided by the Behavioral Model for Vulnerable Populations, latent class analysis was used to identify sexual risk and health…
Prevalence and Correlates of Rectal Douching and Enema Use Among Black Sexual Minority Men and Black Transwomen in the Deep South
Medicine (36 works) · Demography (28 works) · Psychology (27 works) · Gerontology (25 works) · Sociology (23 works) · HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions (21 works) · Demography (19 works) · Men who have sex with men (18 works) · Population (18 works) · Family medicine (16 works)