An empirical comparison of respondent-driven sampling, time location sampling, and snowball sampling for behavioral surveillance in men who have sex with men, Fortaleza, Brazil.
Obtaining samples of populations at risk for HIV challenges surveillance, prevention planning, and evaluation. Methods used include snowball sampling, time location sampling (TLS), and respondent-driven sampling (RDS). Few studies have made side-by-side comparisons to assess their relative advantages. We compared snowball, TLS, and RDS surveys of men who have sex with men (MSM) in Forteleza, Brazil, with a focus on the socio-economic status (SES) and risk behaviors of the samples to each other, to known AIDS cases and to the general population. RDS produced a sample with wider inclusion of lower SES than snowball sampling or TLS-a finding of health significance given the majority of AIDS cases reported among MSM in the state were low SES. RDS also achieved the sample size faster and at lower cost. For reasons of inclusion and cost-efficiency, RDS is the sampling methodology of choice for HIV surveillance of MSM in Fortaleza.
Kendall
Carl
C
Department of International Health and Development, Center for Global Health Equity, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, 1440 Canal St, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA. carl.kendall@gmail.com
Kerr
Ligia R F S
LR
Gondim
Rogerio C
RC
Werneck
Guilherme L
GL
Macena
Raimunda Hermelinda Maia
RH
Pontes
Marta Kerr
MK
Johnston
Lisa G
LG
Sabin
Keith
K
McFarland
Willi
W
D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D018451:Homosexuality, Male; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012494:Sampling Studies; D018571:Sentinel Surveillance; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012923:Social Class