Example A: Using online respondent-driven sampling among men who have sex with men in Vietnam
Abstract Men who have sex with men (MSM) represent a key population at enhanced risk of sexually transmitted infections including HIV. HIV incidence rates are increasing amongst MSM in Vietnam. The last prevalence rates estimates range between 4% and 12% in major cities (2014). High rates of syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhoea have also been reported, including drug resistant gonorrhoea. MSM face a strong cultural stigma, especially predominant in rural areas, which make them hard-to-reach in relation to preventive activities. In this context, respondent-driven sampling (RDS) becomes an efficient solution for sampling as well as for testing health promotive interventions. The high Internet penetration rate makes web-based RDS to enable sampling as well as testing risk reduction interventions, an appealing alternative to reduce costs, increase data reliability and to facilitate project management of complex study designs. In this talk, we will present and discuss the implementation of a nation-wide webRDS study of MSM in Vietnam aiming to collect self-reported sexual health and risk behaviour information. Using the same web-RDS system, we combine RDS with a double-blinded randomised controlled trial to implement an online intervention based on the participants own responses to encourage self-reflection. The system allows us to follow up respondents for several months after the initial intervention to check the consequences of the intervention on individual behaviour over time.