Reproducibility and validity of self-reported condom use in Jakarta

Condom use has been a major focus in STI/AIDS-related behavioral studies. However, since researchers rely mainly on self-reports obtained by self- or interviewer-administered questionnaires, validation studies are necessary to evaluate the quality of the information. A behavioral survey was conducted among female sex workers (FSWs) in an official brothel complex in Jakarta, Indonesia. At baseline, an interviewer-administered questionnaire was completed to identify the personal, professional, and contextual determinants of the women's STI/AIDS-related behaviors, including their condom use, was assessed via interviews two weeks apart among a subset of the samples. Relative validity was estimated by comparing condom use at baseline with a 2-week diary filled out by another subset of the samples. Overall, the FSW's self-reported condom use showed moderate reproducibility and relative validity. The brevity of the recall period, the highly inconsistent condom use practices of the sexworkers, and self-representation bias were among factors that might have attenuated estimated coefficients.