TY - JOUR
T1 - Accessing a diverse sample of injection drug users in San Francisco through respondent-driven sampling
AU - Malekinejad, Mohsen
AU - McFarland, Willi
AU - Vaudrey, Jason
AU - Raymond, H. Fisher
N1 - Funding Information:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Grant # CCU923549-03 supported this study. We would also like to thank NHBS staff at the San Francisco Department of Public Health in particular Theresa O. Ick, Binh V. Le, Michael Grasso and Jason Mehrtens. Dr. George W. Rutherford, Global Health Sciences, UCSF and Dr. Arthur L. Reingold, School of Public Health, UC Berkeley provided editorial contributions to early versions of this manuscript.
PY - 2011/11/1
Y1 - 2011/11/1
N2 - Aims: Injection drug users (IDU) are the second most affected population by HIV in San Francisco and the United Stated after men who have sex with men (MSM). Behavioral surveillance data that include the diversity of the population at risk are necessary to develop effective programs for IDU. Design: We conducted a cross-sectional behavioral survey of IDU using respondent-driven sampling (RDS) in San Francisco. The present analysis focuses the performance of the sampling method in reaching the diversity of the population as a pre-requisite for representative data. Participants: Over 32. weeks, 571 eligible IDU were recruited, of whom 477 (83.5%) with complete records were included in analysis. Findings: The age range was 18-70. years, with 36% age 50. years or older. The majority (56%) were homeless. Male, MSM, African-Americans and Non-Hispanic Whites comprised 71%, 28%, 36% and 35% of IDU, respectively. Twenty-two percent had "ever shared needles in the past 12. months," and 57% reported that they had "shared drugs" in the past 12. months. Peer referral chains were able to cross-recruit IDU by diverse demographic characteristics, drug use related behaviors, program access and use, and other factors relevant to reaching and conducting prevention research on this population. Conclusion: RDS appears to be an effective sampling tool that reaches diverse populations of IDU, including many who may be missed by drug treatment and HIV prevention services in San Francisco and potentially in other urban areas.
AB - Aims: Injection drug users (IDU) are the second most affected population by HIV in San Francisco and the United Stated after men who have sex with men (MSM). Behavioral surveillance data that include the diversity of the population at risk are necessary to develop effective programs for IDU. Design: We conducted a cross-sectional behavioral survey of IDU using respondent-driven sampling (RDS) in San Francisco. The present analysis focuses the performance of the sampling method in reaching the diversity of the population as a pre-requisite for representative data. Participants: Over 32. weeks, 571 eligible IDU were recruited, of whom 477 (83.5%) with complete records were included in analysis. Findings: The age range was 18-70. years, with 36% age 50. years or older. The majority (56%) were homeless. Male, MSM, African-Americans and Non-Hispanic Whites comprised 71%, 28%, 36% and 35% of IDU, respectively. Twenty-two percent had "ever shared needles in the past 12. months," and 57% reported that they had "shared drugs" in the past 12. months. Peer referral chains were able to cross-recruit IDU by diverse demographic characteristics, drug use related behaviors, program access and use, and other factors relevant to reaching and conducting prevention research on this population. Conclusion: RDS appears to be an effective sampling tool that reaches diverse populations of IDU, including many who may be missed by drug treatment and HIV prevention services in San Francisco and potentially in other urban areas.
KW - Behavioral surveillance
KW - HIV
KW - Injection drug users
KW - Respondent-driven sampling
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U2 - 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2011.03.002
DO - 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2011.03.002
M3 - Article
C2 - 21435803
AN - SCOPUS:80053565973
SN - 0376-8716
VL - 118
SP - 83
EP - 91
JO - Drug and Alcohol Dependence
JF - Drug and Alcohol Dependence
IS - 2-3
ER -