Abstract
AIDS-related research relies primarily on self-reports of sexual practices. Therefore, determining which data collection methods yield more candid information is critical. Data from a study of gay men's sexual adaptations to the AIDS epidemic provided an opportunity to explore the congruence of data collected using a self-administered questionnaire with data from an unstructured face-to-face interview designed to facilitate report of sexual risk behavior. We examined (i) the concordance of questionnaire and unstructured interview risk ratings when the two data sources are scored for the same 16 sexual behaviors; (ii) the concordance of questionnaire ratings and ratings obtained when all information on recent sexual practices available from the unstructured interview is considered; (iii) the relationship between serostatus and both concordance patterns between methods; and (iv) the difference by serostatus of reported risk level within method. Riskiest behaviors were reported on the questionnaire for all serostatus groups. Riskier behaviors were more likely to be reported on the questionnaire while more characteristic, safer behaviors were discussed in interview, regardless of HIV serostatus. The advantages of a combined methods—questionnaire/interview—strategy for sexual practice research are discussed.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bradburn, N., and Sudman, S. (1979).Improving Interview Method and Questionnaire Design Jossey-Bass, San Francisco.
Catania, J. A., Gibson, D. R., Chitwood, D. D., and Coates, T. J. (1990). Methodological problems in AIDS behavioral research: Influences on measurement error and participation bias in studies of sexual behavior.Psychol. Bull. 108: 339–362.
Coates, R. A., Calzavara, L. M., Soskolne, C. L., Read, S. E., Fanning, M. M., Shepherd, F. A., Klein, M. H., and Johnson, K. (1988). Validity of sexual histories in a prospective study of male sexual contact of men with AIDS or an AIDS-related condition.Am. J. Epidemiol. 128: 719–727.
Darrow, W. W., Jaffe, H. W., Thomas, P. A., Haverkos, H. W., Rogers, M. F., Guinan, M. E., Auerbach, D. M., Spira, T. J., and Curran, J. W. (1986). Sex of interviewer, place of interview, and response of homosexual men to sensitive questions.Arch. Sex. Behav. 15: 79–87.
DeLameter, J. (1974). Methodological issues in the study of premarital sexuality.Sociol. Methods Res. 3: 30–61.
DeLameter, J., and MacCorquodale, P. (1975). The effects of interview schedule variations on reported sexual behavior.Sociol. Methods Res. 4: 215–236.
Finn, R. H. (1970). A note on estimating the reliability of categorical data.Educ. Psychol. Measur. 30: 71–76.
Finn, R. H. (1972). Effects of some variations in rating scale characteristics on the means and reliabilities of ratings.Educ. Psychol. Measur. 35: 255–265.
Imagawa, D. T., Lee, M. H., Wolinsky, S. M., Kouichi, S., Morales, F., Kwok, S., Sninsky, J. J., Nishanian, P. G., Giorgi, J., Fahey, J. L., Dudley, J., Visscher, B. R., and Detels, R. (1989). Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type I infection in homosexual men who remain seronegative for prolonged periods.New Engl. J. Med. 320: 1458–1462.
James, N. J., Bignell, C. J., and Gillies, P. A. (1991). The reliability of self-reported behavior.AIDS 5: 333–336.
Johnson, A. M., Wadsworth, J., Elliott, P., Prior, L., Wallace, P., Blower, S., Webb, N. L., Heald, G. I., Miller, D. L., Adler, M. W., and Anderson, R. M. (1989). A pilot study of sexual lifestyle in a random sample of the population of Great Britain.AIDS 3: 135–141.
Johnson, R. (1970). Extramarital sexual intercourse: A methodological note.J. Marr. Fam. 32: 279–282.
Levine, M., and Siegel, K. (1992). Gay men's accounts for unprotected sex. In Schneider, B., and Huber, J. (eds.),The Social Context of AIDS Sage, Newbury Park, CA.
Lifson, A. R. (1990). Update on HIV transmission.FOCUS 5: 1–2.
McLaws, M., Oldenburg, B., Ross, M. W., and Cooper, D. A. (1990). Sexual behavior in AIDS-related research: Reliability and validity of recall and diary measures.J. Sex Res. 27: 265–281.
Merton, R. K., Fiske, M., and Kendall, P. (1956).The Focused Interview: A Manual and Procedures Free Press, Glencoe, IL.
Saltzman, S. P., Stoddard, A. M., McCusker, J., Moon, M. W., and Mayer, K. H. (1987). Reliability of self-reported sexual risk factors for HIV infection in homosexual men.Public Health Rep. 102: 692–697.
Schofield, M. (1965).Sociological Aspects of Homosexuality: A Comparative Study of Three Types of Homosexuals Little, Brown, Boston.
Schram, N. R. (1990). Refining safer sex.FOCUS 5: 3.
Siegel, K., and Bauman, L. J. (1986). Methodological issues in AIDS-related research. In Feldman, D. A., and Johnson, T. M. (eds.),The Social Dimension of AIDS: Method and Theory Praeger, New York.
Siegel, K., and Krauss, B. J. (1991). Living with HIV infection: Adaptive tasks of seropositive gay men.J. Health Soc. Behav. 32: 17–32.
Sudman, S., and Bradburn, N. M. (1982).Asking Questions: A Practical Guide to Questionnaire Design Jossey-Bass, San Francisco.
Whitehurst, G. J. (1984). Interrater agreement for journal manuscript reviews.Am. Psychol. 39: 22–28.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This work was supported by a grant from the National Institute of Mental Health (MH42275).
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Siegel, K., Krauss, B.J. & Karus, D. Reporting recent sexual practices: Gay men's disclosure of HIV risk by questionnaire and interview. Arch Sex Behav 23, 217–230 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01542100
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01542100