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Recruiting Men Who Have Sex With Men on Craigslist.org for Face-to-Face Assessments: Implications for Research

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Abstract

We adapted time–space sampling to enroll men who have sex with men (MSM) off Craigslist.org for face-to-face interviews. Men responding to our ads (n = 322) were instructed to either complete an online pre-screening survey (to determine preliminary eligibility) or call our office directly. Of those taking further initiative to enroll, 29 % (n = 41) called directly and 71 % (n = 101) opted to first complete the online survey. Participants scheduled via online pre-screening were more likely to present for their face-to-face assessment than men deemed eligible directly via phone screening (72.3 vs. 47.1 %). Online pre-screening was a useful tool to offer potential participants when recruiting on Craigslist and improved study enrollment.

Resumen

Hemos adaptado un muestreo de “time–space” con el propósito de inscribir a hombres que tienen sexo con hombres (HSH) usando Craigslist.org, para hacer entrevistas en persona. Los hombres que respondieron a nuestros anuncios (n = 322) fueron instruidos a completar una encuesta por internet, que ayudaría a determinar la elegibilidad preliminar, o llamar directamente a nuestra oficina. De los que tomaron la iniciativa de inscribirse, 29 % (n = 41) nos llamaron directamente y 71 % (n = 101) decidieron en completar la encuesta por internet. Los participantes programados para una cita usando la encuesta por internet fueron más propensos a presentarse para su entrevista en persona que los hombres considerados elegibles directamente por la entrevista de teléfono (72,3 vs 47,1 %). Usando la encuesta por internet fue una herramienta útil de ofrecer a los posibles participantes al reclutar por Craigslist.org y también fue algo que aumento inscripción a esta investigación.

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Acknowledgments

Project Score was funded by the National Institutes for Health (SC2 AI 090923: PI-Christian Grov) and research activities were conducted at the Center for HIV/AIDS Educational Studies and Training (CHEST). Acknowledgements to the study team: Michael Adams, Bryant Porter, Aaron S. Breslow, Sarit A. Golub, Linda Agyemang, Kevin Robin, Amy LeClair, Kristi Gamarel, Anna Johnson, Joel Rowe, Chris Hietikko, Anthony Surace, Andrea C. Vial and the recruitment staff. Finally, a special thanks to Joana Roe at NIAID. NIAID/NIH had no role in the production of this manuscript nor necessarily endorses these findings.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health and Nutrition Sciences, Brooklyn College, City University of New York (CUNY), 2900, Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, NY, 11210, USA

    Christian Grov

  2. Center for HIV/AIDS Educational Studies and Training (CHEST), New York, USA

    Christian Grov, Ana Ventuneac, H. Jonathon Rendina, Ruben H. Jimenez & Jeffrey T. Parsons

  3. CUNY School of Public Health at Hunter College, New York, NY, USA

    Christian Grov & Jeffrey T. Parsons

  4. Basic and Applied Social Psychology Doctoral Program, Graduate Center of CUNY, New York, NY, USA

    H. Jonathon Rendina & Jeffrey T. Parsons

  5. Health Psychology Doctoral Program, Graduate Center of CUNY, New York, NY, USA

    Jeffrey T. Parsons

  6. Department of Psychology, Hunter College, CUNY, New York, USA

    Jeffrey T. Parsons

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  1. Christian Grov
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  2. Ana Ventuneac
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  3. H. Jonathon Rendina
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  4. Ruben H. Jimenez
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  5. Jeffrey T. Parsons
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Correspondence to Christian Grov.

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Grov, C., Ventuneac, A., Rendina, H.J. et al. Recruiting Men Who Have Sex With Men on Craigslist.org for Face-to-Face Assessments: Implications for Research. AIDS Behav 17, 773–778 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-012-0345-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-012-0345-4

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