Behavioural Surveillance Surveys - The Wisdom of Whores

6
Adapting and
using questionnaires
Standardized questionnaires should be used for behavioral
surveillance in order to maximize the comparability of data between survey
rounds and across sub-populations and geographic regions. In fact, small
changes in the wording and the order of questions can greatly affect
responses to questions so that observed changes in behaviors over time
may, in fact, be due to these changes as opposed to any real changes in
those behaviors. So preparation of a well-developed questionnaire which
can be maintained over multiple waves with minimal changes is critical.
International experience in surveying
several key sub-population groups has
generated a wealth of knowledge on what
types of questions work and don’t work in
asking people about their sexual and drugusing
behaviors. Similarly, researchers have
developed standardized indicators for tracking
behaviors over time which are based on these
questions. These indicators are presented in
Chapter 9 and are comparable to the indicators
developed by UNAIDS and MEASURE/
Evaluation for the monitoring and evaluation
of National AIDS Programs.
Questionnaires for five sub-population
groups which have been tested in numerous
international settings and which produce key
indicators for those groups are included in
Appendix 1. They include instruments for
the following groups:
• Adults
• Unmarried youth
• Female sex workers
• Injecting drug users
• Men who have sex with men
B EHAV I OR A L S U R V EI L L A NC E SURV EY S CHAPTER 6
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