Limited benefit of repeating a sensitive question in a cross-sectional sexual health study

BMC Medical Research Methodology

Alison H Norris¹  Prabasaj Paul¹  Abigail Norris Turner¹ 

[1] Division of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA

关键词: Tanzania;    Sexually transmitted disease;    ACASI;    Sensitive behavior;   

Others  :  1126042
DOI  :  10.1186/1471-2288-13-34

 received in 2012-10-18, accepted in 2013-02-15,  发布年份 2013

【 摘 要 】

Background

Sexual health research relies heavily on self-reported data. We explored whether repeating a key measure – number of lifetime sexual partners – improved the validity of this self-reported response.

Methods

Using data from a study of Tanzanian plantation residents, we examined which of 505 participants changed their responses when a question about sexual partners was repeated. We examined which variable (first, second, or maximum response) was more predictive of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) seropositivity, a biomarker strongly associated with number of lifetime partners. HSV-2 status was assessed using the HerpeSelect 2 ELISA IgG test.

Results

When asked a second time, 10.7% of participants increased and 3.6% decreased their reported number of partners. Participants using audio computer-assisted self-interviews were more likely to change than those interviewed in person (p = 0.006). The increased odds of HSV-2 seropositivity with each additional partner ranged from 10% to 13% in men, and 33% to 37% in women, depending on which partner variable was used. Estimates had considerable confidence interval overlap and no substantial differences in precision.

Conclusions

Some participants change their responses when asked a sensitive question a second time, but in this population, changes did not meaningfully affect associations between lifetime partners and HSV-2.

【 授权许可】

   
2013 Norris Turner et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

Figure 2.

【 参考文献 】

• [1]Weinhardt LS, Carey MP, Johnson BT: Effects of HIV counseling and testing on sexual risk behavior: a meta-analytic review of published research, 1985–1997. Am J Public Health 1999, 89(9):1397-1405.
• [2]Ghanem KG, Hutton HE, Zenilman JM: Audio computer assisted self interview and face to face interview modes in assessing response bias among STD clinic patients. Sex Transm Infect 2005, 81(5):421-425.
• [3]Phillips AE, Gomez GB, Boily MC: A systematic review and meta-analysis of quantitative interviewing tools to investigate self-reported HIV and STI associated behaviours in low- and middle-income countries. Int J Epidemiol 2010, 39(6):1541-1555.
• [4]Davis RE, Couper MP, Janz NK: Interviewer effects in public health surveys. Health Educ Res 2010, 25(1):14-26.
• [5]Macaluso M, Lawson L, Akers R: Prostate-specific antigen in vaginal fluid as a biologic marker of condom failure. Contraception 1999, 59(3):195-201.
• [6]Norris AH, Kitali AJ, Worby E: Alcohol and transactional sex: how risky is the mix? Soc Sci Med 2009, 69(8):1167-1176.
• [7]Langhaug LF, Sherr L, Cowan FM: How to improve the validity of sexual behaviour reporting: systematic review of questionnaire delivery modes in developing countries. Trop Med Int Health 2010, 15(3):362-381.