title: Lessons learned from respondent-driven sampling recruitment in Nairobi: experiences from the field.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Respondent-driven sampling (RDS) is used in a variety of settings to study hard-to-reach populations at risk for HIV and sexually transmitted infections. However, practices leading to successful recruitment among diverse populations in low-resource settings are seldom reported. We implemented the first, integrated, bio-behavioural surveillance survey among men who have sex with men, female sex workers and people who injected drugs in Nairobi, Kenya.
  
  
  METHODS
  The survey period was June 2010 to March 2011, with a target sample size of 600 participants per key populations. Formative research was initially conducted to assess feasibility of the survey. Weekly monitoring reports of respondent characteristics and recruitment chain graphs from NetDraw illustrated patterns and helped to fill recruitment gaps.
  
  
  RESULTS
  RDS worked well with men who have sex with men and female sex workers with recruitment initiating at a desirable pace that was maintained throughout the survey. Networks of people who injected drugs were well-integrated, but recruitment was slower than the men who have sex with men and female sex workers surveys.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  By closely monitoring RDS implementation and conducting formative research, RDS studies can effectively develop and adapt strategies to improve recruitment and improve adherence to the underlying RDS theory and assumptions.
authors.affiliation: Population Council, Nairobi, Kenya. jokal@popcouncil.org.
authors.forename: Jerry
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Okal
authors.affiliation: San Francisco Department of Public Health, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Henry F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Raymond
authors.affiliation: Population Council, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Waimar
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Tun
authors.affiliation: National AIDS and STD Control Programme, Nairobi, Kenya.
authors.forename: Helgar
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Musyoki
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Francisco, Nairobi, Kenya.
authors.forename: Sufia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dadabhai
authors.affiliation: Division of Global HIV/AIDS, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Dita
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Broz
authors.affiliation: Jhpiego-Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya.
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nyamu
authors.affiliation: Palladium Group, Nairobi, Kenya.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kuria
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health, Nairobi, Kenya.
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Muraguri
authors.affiliation: Population Council, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Geibel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007630:Kenya / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D012494:Sampling Studies; D060386:Sex Workers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Female sex workers (FSW); Field experiences; Men who have sex with men (MSM); People who injected drugs (PWID); Respondent-driven sampling (RDS)