Conducting a respondent-driven sampling survey with the use of existing resources in Sydney, Australia.
BACKGROUND
Respondent-driven sampling (RDS) is a form of chain-referral sampling that is increasingly being used for HIV behavioural surveillance. When used for surveillance purposes, a sampling method should be relatively inexpensive and simple to operate. This study examined whether an RDS survey of people who inject drugs (PWID) in Sydney, Australia, could be successfully conducted through the use of minimal and existing resources.


METHODS
The RDS survey was conducted on the premises of a local needle and syringe program (NSP) with some adjustments to take into account the constraints of existing resources. The impact of the survey on clients and on staff was examined by summarizing NSP service data and by conducting post-survey discussions with NSP staff.


RESULTS
From November 2009 till March 2010, 261 participants were recruited in 16 waves. A significant increase was found in the number of services provided by the NSP during and after data collection. Generally, staff felt that the survey had a positive impact by exposing a broader group of people to the NSP. However, conducting the survey may have led to privacy issues for NSP clients due to an increased number of people gathering around the NSP.


CONCLUSIONS
This study shows that RDS can be conducted with the use of minimal and existing resources under certain conditions (e.g., use of a self-administered questionnaire and no biological samples taken). A more detailed cost-utility analysis is needed to determine whether RDS' advantages outweigh potential challenges when compared to simpler and less costly convenience methods.
National Centre in HIV Social Research, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia. Dana.Paquette@unsw.edu.au
Dana M
DM
Paquette
Joanne
J
Bryant
Sione
S
Crawford
John B F
JB
de Wit
D000328:Adult; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D006679:HIV Seropositivity; D006295:Health Resources; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018671:Needle-Exchange Programs; D011793:Queensland; D018401:Sample Size; D012494:Sampling Studies; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D014505:Urban Population