title: Polling booth surveys: a novel approach for reducing social desirability bias in HIV-related behavioural surveys in resource-poor settings.
abstract: This study compared rates of HIV-related sexual risk behaviours reported in individual face-to-face (FTFI) and group anonymous polling booth (PBS) interviews in India. In PBS, respondents grouped by gender and marital status answered yes/no questions by putting tokens with question numbers in colour-coded containers. Data were subsequently collated for each group as a whole, so responses were not traceable back to individuals. Male and female PBS participants reported substantially higher rates of pre-marital, extra-marital, commercial and anal sex than FTFI participants; e.g. 11 vs. 2% married males reported paying for sex; 6 vs. 1% unmarried males reported homosexual anal sex.
authors.affiliation: URESP, Centre de Recherche FRSQ du CHA Universitaire de Québec, Canada. catherine.lowndes@hpa.org.uk
authors.forename: Catherine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Lowndes
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Jayachandran
authors.forename: Pradeep
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Banandur
authors.forename: Banadakoppa M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Ramesh
authors.forename: Reynold
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Washington
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Sangameshwar
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moses
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Blanchard
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alary
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology; D012928:Social Desirability; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014342:Truth Disclosure; D055815:Young Adult