Using respondent-driven sampling methodology for HIV biological and behavioral surveillance in international settings: a systematic review.
To determine operational and analytical characteristics of respondent-driven sampling (RDS) in international settings and to explore factors that may affect recruitment of most-at-risk populations using RDS, we reviewed HIV biological and behavioral surveillance studies that used this method outside of the United States. We identified 123 eligible studies, 59 from Europe, 40 from Asia and the Pacific, 14 from Latin America, seven from Africa and three from Oceania. Studies collectively recruited 32,298 participants between 2003 and 2007; 53% of studies were conducted among injecting drug users, which generally had faster recruitment compared with studies among sex workers. All but 13 studies reached > or = 90% of their intended sample size, and six studies failed to reach equilibrium for key variables. This review has shown that RDS is an effective technique, when designed and implemented appropriately, to sample most-at-risk populations for HIV biological and behavioral surveys.
Malekinejad
Mohsen
M
School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA. mmalekinejad@psg.ucsf.edu
Johnston
Lisa Grazina
LG
Kendall
Carl
C
Kerr
Ligia Regina Franco Sansigolo
LR
Rifkin
Marina Raven
MR
Rutherford
George W
GW
D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D038622:Internationality; D008297:Male; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012725:Sexual Behavior