Abstract
ObjectivesIn addition to researcher-designed sampling biases, population-representative surveys for biomarker measurement of STIs often have substantial missingness due to non-contact, non-consent and other study-implementation issues. STI prevalence estimates may be biased if this missingness is related to STI risk. We investigated how accounting for sampling, interview non-response and non-provision of biological samples affects prevalence estimates in the third National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal-3).MethodsNatsal-3 was a multistage, clustered and stratified probability sample of 16–74 year-olds conducted between 2010 and 2012. Individuals were sampled from all private residential addresses in Britain; respondents aged 16–44 were further sampled to provide a urine specimen based on characteristics including self-reported sexual behaviours. We generated prevalence estimates and confidence intervals for six STIs in five stages: first without accounting for sampling or non-response, then applying inverse-probability weights cumulatively accounting for interview sampling, interview non-response, urine sampling and urine non-response.ResultsInterview non-completion occurred for 42.3% of interview-sampled individuals; urine non-completion occurred for 43.5% of urine-sampled individuals. Interview-sampled individuals, interview respondents, those selected for urine samples and those providing urine samples were each in turn slightly more at-risk for most STIs, leading to lower prevalence estimates after incorporating each set of weights. Researcher-controlled sampling had more impact than respondent-controlled response.ConclusionsAccounting for both sampling structures and willingness to interview or provide urine specimens can affect national STI prevalence estimates. Using both types of weights, as was done in Natsal-3, is important in reporting on population-based biomarker surveys.
Funder
Wellcome Trust
Economic and Social Research Council
UK Department of Health
Medical Research Council
Subject
Infectious Diseases,Dermatology
Reference13 articles.
1. Measuring sexual behaviour: methodological challenges in survey research
2. Review of inverse probability weighting for dealing with missing data
3. Bridges S , Hussey D , Blake M . The dynamics of ageing: the 2012 English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (wave 6). London: NatCen Social Research, 2015.
4. Ofstedal MB , Weir DR , Chen K-T , et al . Updates to HRS sample weights. Ann Arbor, MI: Survey Research Centre, University of Michigan, 2011.
5. Mohadjer L , Montaquila J , Waksberg J , et al . National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III: weighting and estimation. Rockville, MD: Westat, Inc, 1996.
Cited by
2 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献