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Developing a Web-Based HIV Behavioral Surveillance Pilot Project Among Men Who Have Sex with Men
Travis Sanchez1, Amanda Smith, Damian Denson
1Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Background:
A web-based HIV behavioral surveillance system (WHBS) has potential to collect behavioral data from men who have sex with men (MSM) not reached through traditional sampling methods. Six U.S. cities conducted a WHBS pilot in 2005-2007 to determine the feasibility to conduct a behavioral surveillance project entirely on the internet.
Methods:
THREE SAMPLING METHODS OF ADULT MSM ON THE INTERNET WERE EXPLORED: direct marketing (DM) using banner advertisements; respondent-driven sampling (RDS) using peer recruitment; and venue-based sampling (VBS) using internet venues.
Results:
A total of 8,434 complete MSM surveys were obtained: 8,109 through DM, 130 through RDS, and 195 through VBS. By methods, enrollment rates ranged from 70-90%; completion rates ranged from 67-95%. DM obtained the largest proportions of racial/ethnic minority MSM (36%) and MSM 18-20 years (19%).
Conclusions:
Only the DM method achieved a substantial number of complete MSM surveys. Successful implementation of an internet-based systematic sampling method may be problematic, but a convenience sample of MSM using banner advertisements is feasible and may produce useful and timely behavioral information from a large number of MSM.
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