RESEARCH ARTICLE
Developing a Web-Based HIV Behavioral Surveillance Pilot Project Among Men Who Have Sex with Men
Travis Sanchez*, Amanda Smith, Damian Denson, Elizabeth DiNenno , Amy Lansky
Article Information
Identifiers and Pagination:
Year: 2012Volume: 6
Issue: Suppl 1
First Page: 224
Last Page: 231
Publisher ID: TOAIDJ-6-224
DOI: 10.2174/1874613601206010224
Article History:
Received Date: 15/4/2011Revision Received Date: 24/6/2011
Acceptance Date: 1/7/2011
Electronic publication date: 5/10/2012
Collection year: 2012

open-access license: This is an open access article licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted, non-commercial use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the work is properly cited.
Abstract
Background:
A web-based HIV behavioral surveillance system (WHBS) has potential to collect behavioral data from men who have sex with men (MSM) not reached through traditional sampling methods. Six U.S. cities conducted a WHBS pilot in 2005-2007 to determine the feasibility to conduct a behavioral surveillance project entirely on the internet.
Methods:
Three sampling methods of adult MSM on the internet were explored: direct marketing (DM) using banner advertisements; respondent-driven sampling (RDS) using peer recruitment; and venue-based sampling (VBS) using internet venues.
Results:
A total of 8,434 complete MSM surveys were obtained: 8,109 through DM, 130 through RDS, and 195 through VBS. By methods, enrollment rates ranged from 70-90%; completion rates ranged from 67-95%. DM obtained the largest proportions of racial/ethnic minority MSM (36%) and MSM 18-20 years (19%).
Conclusions:
Only the DM method achieved a substantial number of complete MSM surveys. Successful implementation of an internet-based systematic sampling method may be problematic, but a convenience sample of MSM using banner advertisements is feasible and may produce useful and timely behavioral information from a large number of MSM.