title: Application of respondent driven sampling to collect baseline data on FSWs and MSM for HIV risk reduction interventions in two urban centres in Papua New Guinea.
abstract: The need to obtain unbiased information among hard-to-reach and hidden populations for behavioural and biological surveillance, epidemiological studies, and intervention program evaluations has led researchers to search for a suitable sampling method. One method that has been tested among IDU and MSM recently is respondent-driven sampling (RDS). We used RDS to conduct a behavioural survey among FSWs and MSM in two urban centres in Papua New Guinea (PNG). In this paper we present the lessons learned implementing RDS in a developing country setting. We also present comparisons of RDSAT-adjusted versus unadjusted crude estimates of some key socio-demographic indicators as well as comparisons between the estimates from RDS and a hypothetical time-location sample (TLS). Overall, the use of RDS among the MSM and FSWs in PNG had numerous advantages in terms of collecting a required sample size in a short time period, minimizing costs and maximising security for staff and respondents. Although there were a few problems these were easily remedied and we would recommend RDS for other similar studies in PNG and other developing countries.
authors.affiliation: Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, Goroka, Papua New Guinea. William.Yeka@pngimr.org.pg
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yeka
authors.forename: Geraldine
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Maibani-Michie
authors.forename: Dimitri
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Prybylski
authors.forename: Donn
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Colby
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006678:HIV; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009512:New Guinea / Q000453:epidemiology; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D012494:Sampling Studies; D011477:Sex Work / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014505:Urban Population