Using Biomarkers to Assess the Validity of Sexual Behavior Reporting across Interview Modes among Young Women in Kampala, Uganda

Bibliographic Data

ID10796978
AuthorsChristine A Kelly (0000-0002-8710-7083, Staff Associate Population Council One Dag Hammarskjold Plaza New York NY 10017, corresponding author), Paul Hewett (0000-0003-0394-3154, National HIV/AIDS/STI/TB Council), Paul C Hewett ((Lusaka, Zambia) Senior Associates, Project Director HIVCore, Population Council.), Barbara S Mensch (0000-0003-1073-9135, (New York) Senior Associates, Project Director HIVCore, Population Council.), Johanna C Rankin (Doctoral candidate, University of Oxford.), Johanna Rankin (University of Oxford), Samuel L Nsobya (0000-0003-4986-8823, Senior Lecturer, Department of Pathology, School of Biomedical Science, Makerere University and Laboratory Director Molecular Research Laboratory (MOLAB) Kampala Uganda), Samuel Kalibala (0000-0003-0403-0445, (Washington, DC) Project Director HIVCore, Population Council.), Pamela N Kakande (Senior Statistician, Uganda Bureau of Statistics.), Pamela Kakande (Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek)
Year2014
Volume45
Issue1
Pages43-58
Publication date2014-03-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueStudies in Family Planning (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0039-3665 • E-ISSN: 1728-4465
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/j.1728-4465.2014.00375.x
PMID24615574
PMCIDPMC4528964
OpenAlexW2008842666
LanguageEN
Citations received6
References cited28

Understanding the transmission dynamics of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections is critically dependent on accurate behavioral data. This study investigates the effect of the mode of questionnaire delivery on the quality of sexual behavior reporting in a 2010 survey conducted in Kampala, Uganda, among 18–24‐year‐old women. We compare the reported prevalence of five sexual outcomes across three interview modes: traditional face‐to‐face interviewing (FTFI) in which question rewording was permitted, FTFI administered via computer‐assisted personal interviewing (CAPI) in which questions were read as written, and audio computer‐assisted self‐interviewing (ACASI) in which participants listened to prerecorded questions and entered responses using a computer touchscreen. We then assess the validity of the data by evaluating the reporting of sexual experience against three biological markers. Results suggest that ACASI elicits higher reporting of some key indicators than FTFI does, but self‐reports from all interview modes were subject to validity concerns when compared with biomarker data. The study highlights the important role that biomarkers can play in sexual behavior research

Data quality · Developmental psychology · Face validity · Interview · Psychometrics · Sexual behavior · Social desirability · Social desirability bias · Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health · Clinical Psychology · HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions · Medicine · Psychology · Sex work and related issues