Systems and methods are described that facilitate evaluating conditions of nodes (e.g., access points, access terminals, etc.) in a wireless communication environment to determine a level of disadvantage for a given node relative to other nodes. A first node may receive a resource utilization message (RxRUM) and may determine a level of disadvantage for a node that sent the RxRUM. The first node may then compare its own level of disadvantage to the sending node in order to permit a determination of an appropriate course of action in response to the RxRUM.