Aggregate Versus Individual-Level Sexual Behavior Assessment: How Much Detail Is Needed to Accurately Estimate HIV/STI Risk?

Steven D. Pinkerton, Carol L. Galletly, Timothy L. McAuliffe, Wayne DiFranceisco, H. Fisher Raymond and Harrell W. Chesson
Additional contact information
Steven D. Pinkerton: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Center for AIDS Intervention Research, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, USA, pinkrton@mcw.edu
Carol L. Galletly: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Center for AIDS Intervention Research, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, USA
Timothy L. McAuliffe: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Center for AIDS Intervention Research, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, USA
Wayne DiFranceisco: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Center for AIDS Intervention Research, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, USA
H. Fisher Raymond: HIV Epidemiology Section, San Francisco Department of Public Health, CA, USA
Harrell W. Chesson: Division of STD Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA

Evaluation Review, 2010, vol. 34, issue 1, 19-34

Abstract: The sexual behaviors of HIV/sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention intervention participants can be assessed on a partner-by-partner basis: in aggregate (i.e., total numbers of sex acts, collapsed across partners) or using a combination of these two methods (e.g., assessing five partners in detail and any remaining partners in aggregate). There is a natural trade-off between the level of sexual behavior detail and the precision of HIV/STI acquisition risk estimates. The results of this study indicate that relatively simple aggregate data collection techniques suffice to adequately estimate HIV risk. For highly infectious STIs, in contrast, accurate STI risk assessment requires more intensive partner-by-partner methods.

Keywords: HIV/STI prevention; sexual behavior; assessment; risk (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2010
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:evarev:v:34:y:2010:i:1:p:19-34

DOI: 10.1177/0193841X09353534

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