@Article{info:doi/10.2196/50812,
author="Karuchit, Samart
and Thiengtham, Panupit
and Tanpradech, Suvimon
and Srinor, Watcharapol
and Yingyong, Thitipong
and Naiwatanakul, Thananda
and Northbrook, Sanny
and Hladik, Wolfgang",
title="A Web-Based, Respondent-Driven Sampling Survey Among Men Who Have Sex With Men (Kai Noi): Description of Methods and Characteristics",
journal="JMIR Form Res",
year="2024",
month="May",
day="20",
volume="8",
pages="e50812",
keywords="online respondent-driven sampling; web-based respondent-driven sampling; virtual architecture; men who have sex with men; Thailand; MSM; Asia; Asian; gay; homosexual; homosexuality; sexual minority; sexual minorities; biobehavioral; surveillance; respondent driven sampling; survey; surveys; web app; web application; coding; PHP; web based; automation; automated; design; architecture; information system; information systems; online sampling; HIV; sexually transmitted infection; STI; sexually transmitted disease; STD; sexual transmission; sexually transmitted; RDS; webRDS",
abstract="Background: Thailand's HIV epidemic is heavily concentrated among men who have sex with men (MSM), and surveillance efforts are mostly based on case surveillance and local biobehavioral surveys. Objective: We piloted Kai Noi, a web-based respondent-driven sampling (RDS) survey among MSM. Methods: We developed an application coded in PHP that facilitated all procedures and events typically used in an RDS office for use on the web, including e-coupon validation, eligibility screening, consent, interview, peer recruitment, e-coupon issuance, and compensation. All procedures were automated and e-coupon ID numbers were randomly generated. Participants' phone numbers were the principal means to detect and prevent duplicate enrollment. Sampling took place across Thailand; residents of Bangkok were also invited to attend 1 of 10 clinics for an HIV-related blood draw with additional compensation. Results: Sampling took place from February to June 2022; seeds (21 at the start, 14 added later) were identified through banner ads, micromessaging, and in online chat rooms. Sampling reached all 6 regions and almost all provinces. Fraudulent (duplicate) enrollment using ``borrowed'' phone numbers was identified and led to the detection and invalidation of 318 survey records. A further 106 participants did not pass an attention filter question (asking recruits to select a specific categorical response) and were excluded from data analysis, leading to a final data set of 1643 valid participants. Only one record showed signs of straightlining (identical adjacent responses). None of the Bangkok respondents presented for a blood draw. Conclusions: We successfully developed an application to implement web-based RDS among MSM across Thailand. Measures to minimize, detect, and eliminate fraudulent survey enrollment are imperative in web-based surveys offering compensation. Efforts to improve biomarker uptake are needed to fully tap the potential of web-based sampling and data collection. ",
issn="2561-326X",
doi="10.2196/50812",
url="https://formative.jmir.org/2024/1/e50812",
url="https://doi.org/10.2196/50812",
url="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38767946"
}