Researching a sensitive topic: designing a mail survey of the perceptions of gay men with HIV/AIDS regarding social support received from the family of origin.

The purpose of this brief article is to describe some strategies for overcoming problems related to researching a "sensitive" research topic--the perceptions of gay men who are HIV+ or who have AIDS regarding the social support they receive from parents and siblings. The article discusses the rationale for the choice of a mail survey over a structured in-person interview, the development and pretest of the mail questionnaire and how a sample of respondents was located.