在澳大利亚收集有关男同性恋者及其他与男性发生性行为者中艾滋病毒流行情况的社会和行为数据时所面临的方法学挑战。
Methodological challenges in collecting social and behavioural data regarding the HIV epidemic among gay and other men who have sex with men in Australia.
作者信息
Zablotska Iryna B, Frankland Andrew, Holt Martin, de Wit John, Brown Graham, Maycock Bruce, Fairley Christopher, Prestage Garrett
机构信息
The Kirby Institute, The University of NSW Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
The Kirby Institute, The University of NSW Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia; School of Psychiatry, The University of NSW Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
出版信息
PLoS One. 2014 Nov 19;9(11):e113167. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0113167. eCollection 2014.
BACKGROUND
Behavioural surveillance and research among gay and other men who have sex with men (GMSM) commonly relies on non-random recruitment approaches. Methodological challenges limit their ability to accurately represent the population of adult GMSM. We compared the social and behavioural profiles of GMSM recruited via venue-based, online, and respondent-driven sampling (RDS) and discussed their utility for behavioural surveillance.
METHODS
Data from four studies were selected to reflect each recruitment method. We compared demographic characteristics and the prevalence of key indicators including sexual and HIV testing practices obtained from samples recruited through different methods, and population estimates from respondent-driven sampling partition analysis.
RESULTS
Overall, the socio-demographic profile of GMSM was similar across samples, with some differences observed in age and sexual identification. Men recruited through time-location sampling appeared more connected to the gay community, reported a greater number of sexual partners, but engaged in less unprotected anal intercourse with regular (UAIR) or casual partners (UAIC). The RDS sample overestimated the proportion of HIV-positive men and appeared to recruit men with an overall higher number of sexual partners. A single-website survey recruited a sample with characteristics which differed considerably from the population estimates with regards to age, ethnically diversity and behaviour. Data acquired through time-location sampling underestimated the rates of UAIR and UAIC, while RDS and online sampling both generated samples that underestimated UAIR. Simulated composite samples combining recruits from time-location and multi-website online sampling may produce characteristics more consistent with the population estimates, particularly with regards to sexual practices.
CONCLUSION
Respondent-driven sampling produced the sample that was most consistent to population estimates, but this methodology is complex and logistically demanding. Time-location and online recruitment are more cost-effective and easier to implement; using these approaches in combination may offer the potential to recruit a more representative sample of GMSM.
背景
男同性恋者及其他与男性发生性行为者（GMSM）中的行为监测和研究通常依赖非随机招募方法。方法学上的挑战限制了它们准确代表成年GMSM人群的能力。我们比较了通过场所招募、在线招募和应答驱动抽样（RDS）招募的GMSM的社会和行为特征，并讨论了它们在行为监测中的效用。
方法
选择四项研究的数据以反映每种招募方法。我们比较了人口统计学特征以及关键指标的患病率，包括从通过不同方法招募的样本中获得的性传播和艾滋病毒检测行为，以及应答驱动抽样分区分析得出的人群估计数。
结果
总体而言，各样本中GMSM的社会人口学特征相似，但在年龄和性取向方面存在一些差异。通过时间地点抽样招募的男性似乎与同性恋社区联系更紧密，报告的性伴侣数量更多，但与固定（UAIR）或偶然伴侣（UAIC）进行的无保护肛交较少。RDS样本高估了艾滋病毒阳性男性的比例，并且似乎招募了性伴侣总数较高的男性。一项单网站调查招募的样本在年龄、种族多样性和行为方面的特征与人群估计数有很大差异。通过时间地点抽样获得的数据低估了UAIR和UAIC的发生率，而RDS和在线抽样产生的样本都低估了UAIR。将时间地点抽样和多网站在线抽样的招募对象合并的模拟综合样本可能会产生与人群估计数更一致的特征，特别是在性行为方面。
结论
应答驱动抽样产生的样本与人群估计数最一致，但这种方法复杂且在后勤方面要求较高。时间地点抽样和在线招募更具成本效益且更易于实施；结合使用这些方法可能有潜力招募更具代表性的GMSM样本。
Zotero 插件