title: Recruiting gay alcohol establishments for studies: lessons learned from the SILAS study.
abstract: We contacted gay bar/club managers in 16 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) in the US from 2008 to 2010 and invited them to participate in survey of gay bar/club identification and patronage. The annual response rates were 58%, 74%, and 71%, respectively. We convened two, 1-hr meetings with research staff to discuss lessons learned from recruitment efforts. Data were analyzed using qualitative techniques. Improved response rates appeared to be a function of developing a broader definition of gay bar/club, using multiple sources to identify gay bars/clubs, using passive data collection strategies with active follow-up, and offering multiple methods of completing surveys. Study limitations are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55454-1015, USA. jones010@umn.edu
authors.forename: Rhonda
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jones-Webb
authors.forename: Gunna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kilian
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cain-Nielsen
authors.forename: B R Simon
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Rosser
authors.forename: Sonya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brady
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods*; D018451:Homosexuality, Male; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018579:Patient Selection