Process and efficacy of three approaches to behavioral surveillance for gonorrhea: Case interviews, place surveys, and network studies


Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

5068.0: Wednesday, December 14, 2005 - 9:15 AM

Abstract #108159

Michael W. Ross, PhD¹, Patrick E. Courtney, MA¹, Janel Dennison, MPH¹, Mark Williams, PhD², Alden Klovdahl, PhD¹, Jonathan Ellen, MD³, Sevgi Aral, PhD⁴, Stuart M. Berman, MD⁵, and Janet St. Lawrence, PhD⁶. (1) WHO Center for Health Promotion Research and Development, The University of Texas - Houston School of Public Health, PO Box 20186, Houston, TX 77225, 713-500-9652, MRoss@sph.uth.tmc.edu, (2) Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas School of Public Health, Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research, 7000 Fannin, Suite #2516, Houston, TX 77030, (3) Adolescent Health Research Group, Johns Hopkins University, 2700 Lighthouse Point East, Suite 210, Baltimore, MD 21224, (4) Centers for Disease Control, Corporate Square Office Park, Building 10, Atlanta, GA 30329, (5) Chief of Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch, Division of STD Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd. NE, MS-E-02, Atlanta, GA 30333, (6) Behavioral Interventions Research Branch, Division of STD Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road NE, Mailstop E-44, Atlanta, GA 30333

We investigated the process and time required to collect 450 interviews in a project to determine the most efficacious behavioral surveillance approaches to detect changes in gonorrhea prevalence. 150 respondents were recruited in each method. For each of place surveys (bars), gonorrhea case interviews, and network studies based on seeds from the case and place interviews, we determined the recruitment rate and process. Urine testing for gonorrhea and Chlamydia took place in the place interviews. We present data from Houston, Texas that illustrate the sample characteristics, recruitment rates, and, where appropriate, infection rates. Data indicate that there was high uptake and a rapid recruitment rate from the place surveys, an intermediate rate from the network studies, and that the gonorrhea case interviews were the most inefficient accrual method for behavioral surveillance. Sample characteristics and biases in each method are described, and conclusions drawn for the relative efficacy of each method for gonorrhea behavioral surveillance.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of the session, participants will be able to

• Contrast the process involved in three methods of behavioral surveillance for STIs
• Apply these conclusions to behavioral surveillance in their community

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Innovative Methodologies to Conduct Behavioral Surveillance of STD Risk Behaviors

The 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition (December 10-14, 2005) of APHA