Thinking Aloud to Create Better Condom Use Questions

Edwards, Mildred; Thomsen, Sarah; Toroitich‐Ruto, Cathy

doi:10.1177/1525822x04271029

Cited by 15 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…44 They were not distinctly different from what is known about recall in other survey populations. 45 While recommendations for questionnaire construction to enhance recall of past events may be no different in this population, the process provided valuable information about recall for specific information and the maximum measurement periods for which valid responses could be expected.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 80%

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Cognitive Interviewing Methods for Questionnaire Pre-Testing in Homeless Persons with Mental Disorders

et al. 2011

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In this study, cognitive interviewing methods were used to test targeted questionnaire items from a battery of quantitative instruments selected for a large multisite trial of supported housing interventions for homeless individuals with mental disorders. Most of the instruments had no published psychometrics in this population. Participants were 30 homeless adults with mental disorders (including substance use disorders) recruited from service agencies in Vancouver, Winnipeg, and Toronto, Canada. Six interviewers, trained in cognitive interviewing methods and using standard interview schedules, conducted the interviews. Questions and, in some cases, instructions, for testing were selected from existing instruments according to a priori criteria. Items on physical and mental health status, housing quality and living situation, substance use, health and justice system service use, and community integration were tested. The focus of testing was on relevance, comprehension, and recall, and on sensitivity/acceptability for this population. Findings were collated across items by site and conclusions validated by interviewers. There was both variation and similarity of responses for identified topics of interest. With respect to relevance, many items on the questionnaires were not applicable to homeless people. Comprehension varied considerably; thus, both checks on understanding and methods to assist In addition, there are five site coordinators (one for each city where the study is carried out) and numerous lead service and housing providers. CEA is lead for quantitative measurement and data collection at the national level; MLP and KSM are site research coordinators; SWH is lead investigator for the Toronto site; ACH was an undergraduate medical research student for the summer of 2009; and PNG is the national research lead. 36comprehension and recall are recommended, particularly for participants with acute symptoms of mental illness and those with cognitive impairment. The acceptability of items ranged widely across the sample, but findings were consistent with previous literature, which indicates that "how you ask" is as important as "what you ask." Cognitive interviewing methods worked well and elicited information crucial to effective measurement in this unique population. Pretesting study instruments, including standard instruments, for use in special populations such as homeless individuals with mental disorders is important for training interviewers and improving measurement, as well as interpreting findings.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 80%

“…Edwards et al also found the "think aloud" technique to be challenging in a street-involved population. 44 For homeless individuals with mental health issues and who also often have cognitive impairment, it is not surprising that the metacognitive skills required for the "think aloud" approach were quite challenging.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cognitive Interviewing Methods for Questionnaire Pre-Testing in Homeless Persons with Mental Disorders

et al. 2011

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“…The subject of these measures are widely invoked in social marketing efforts to curb HIV transmission, and we believe highly sensitive and prone to social desirability (Edwards, Thomsen and Toroitich-Ruto 2005): Lifetime sexual partners: What is the total number of sexual partners you have had in your life?Condom use: Did you use a condom the last time you had sex with this partner?Discussing HIV: At the time you first had sex with this partner, had you ever discussed HIV with him/her?HIV testing: Have you ever been tested for HIV? We modeled lifetime sexual partners using negative binomial regression; and condom use, discussing HIV, and HIV testing using logistic regression (with correlation among partners of the same respondent, when applicable). Our approach was to first model the outcome using respondent covariates we expected would influence the outcome but were not the focus of our research question about fieldworker effects.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Let’s Talk about Sex, Maybe

et al. 2015

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Researchers are often skeptical of sexual behavior surveys: respondents may lie or forget details of their intimate lives, and interviewers may exercise authority in how they capture responses. We use data from a 2010–2011 cross-sectional sexual behavior survey in rural South Africa to explore who says what to whom about their sexual lives. Results show an effect of fieldworker age across outcomes -- respondents report “safer”, more “responsible” sexual behavior to older fieldworkers; and an effect of fieldworker sex -- men report more sexual partners to female fieldworkers. Understanding fieldworker effects on the production of sexual behavior survey data serves methodological and analytical goals.

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“…The 7 day time period was chosen because of previous work with this population, which indicated that sex workers could comfortably count clients back this far, but not farther. 11 Secondary outcomes of interest were the number and proportion of protected sexual acts with different partner types.…”

Section: Condom Usementioning

confidence: 99%

A prospective study assessing the effects of introducing the female condom in a sex worker population in Mombasa, Kenya

Thomsen

Ombidi

Toroitich‐Ruto

et al. 2006

Sexually Transmitted Infections

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Objective: To assess the impact and costs of adding female condoms to a male condom promotion and distribution peer education programme for sex workers in Mombasa, Kenya. Design: A 12 month, prospective study of 210 female sex workers. Methods: We interviewed participants about their sexual behaviour every 2 months for a total of seven times and introduced female condoms after the third interview. We also collected cost data and calculated the cost and cost effectiveness of adding the female condom component to the existing programme.

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Thinking Aloud to Create Better Condom Use Questions

Cited by 15 publications

References 18 publications

Cognitive Interviewing Methods for Questionnaire Pre-Testing in Homeless Persons with Mental Disorders

Cognitive Interviewing Methods for Questionnaire Pre-Testing in Homeless Persons with Mental Disorders

Let’s Talk about Sex, Maybe

A prospective study assessing the effects of introducing the female condom in a sex worker population in Mombasa, Kenya

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