Am J Epidemiol. 2014 Sep 1;180(5):536-44. doi: 10.1093/aje/kwu149. Epub 2014 Jul 29.
Sexual violence is pervasive in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Survivors of sexual violence encounter numerous challenges, and women with a sexual violence-related pregnancy (SVRP) face even more complex sequelae. Because of the stigma associated with SVRP, there is no conventional sampling frame and, therefore, a paucity of research on SVRP outcomes. Respondent-driven sampling (RDS), used to study this "hidden" population, uses a peer recruitment sampling system that maintains strict participant privacy and controls and tracks recruitment. If RDS assumptions are met and the sample attains equilibrium, sample weights to correct for biases associated with traditional chain referral sampling can be calculated. Questionnaires were administered to female participants who were raising a child from a SVRP and/or who terminated a SVRP. A total of 852 participants were recruited from October 9, 2012, to November 7, 2012. There was rapid recruitment, and there were long referral chains. The majority of the variables reached equilibrium; thus, trends established in the sample population reflected the target population's trends. To our knowledge, this is the first study to use RDS to study outcomes of sexual violence. RDS was successfully applied to this population and context and should be considered as a sampling methodology in future sexual violence research.
性暴力在刚果民主共和国(DRC)东部普遍存在。性暴力幸存者面临许多挑战,而与性暴力相关怀孕的妇女(SVRP)则面临更复杂的后果。由于与 SVRP 相关的耻辱感,没有常规的抽样框架,因此,对 SVRP 结果的研究很少。用于研究这种“隐藏”人群的应答者驱动抽样(RDS)使用同伴招募抽样系统,该系统维护严格的参与者隐私,并控制和跟踪招募情况。如果满足 RDS 假设并且样本达到平衡,则可以计算出用于纠正与传统链式转诊抽样相关的偏差的样本权重。从 2012 年 10 月 9 日至 11 月 7 日,向正在抚养 SVRP 所生孩子的女性参与者和/或终止 SVRP 的女性参与者发放了问卷。共招募了 852 名参与者。招募速度很快,而且转介链很长。大多数变量都达到了平衡;因此,样本人口中的趋势反映了目标人口的趋势。据我们所知,这是首次使用 RDS 研究性暴力后果的研究。RDS 已成功应用于该人群和环境,应在未来的性暴力研究中考虑作为抽样方法。