Journal Information

Voted One of the 100 Most Influential Journals in Biology & Medicine over the last 100 Years

 by the Special Libraries Association

Selected as a core journal  by the Medical Library Association (Public Health)


Recommend & Share


 • 
 CiteULike

Volume 99, Issue 9 (September 2009)
Jocelyn DeJong, Ziyad Mahfoud, Danielle Khoury, Farah Barbir, and Rema Adel Afifi Ethical Considerations in HIV/AIDS Biobehavioral Surveys That Use Respondent-Driven Sampling: Illustrations From Lebanon. American Journal of Public Health: September 2009, Vol. 99, No. 9, pp. 1562-1567.
doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2008.144832

Accepted on: Dec 30, 2008

Ethical Considerations in HIV/AIDS Biobehavioral Surveys That Use Respondent-Driven Sampling: Illustrations From Lebanon

Jocelyn DeJong, PhD, Ziyad Mahfoud, PhD, Danielle Khoury, MPH, Farah Barbir, MPH, and Rema Adel Afifi, PhD

At the time of the study, Jocelyn DeJong and Ziyad Mahfoud were with the Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon. Farah Barbir and Rema Adel Afifi were with the Department of Health Behavior and Education, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut. Danielle Khoury was with the National AIDS Programme, Ministry of Public Health, Beirut.

Correspondence should be sent to Rema Adel Afifi, Department of Health Behavior and Education, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, PO Box 11-0236, Riad El Solh 1107 2020, Beirut, Lebanon (e-mail: ). Reprints can be ordered at http://www.ajph.org by clicking the Reprints/Eprints link.

Peer Reviewed

Contributors

J. De Jong led the writing of the brief with R. A. Afifi. All authors reviewed relevant literature, conceptualized ideas, made substantive comments, and recommended revisions to the brief. All authors were involved in the design and implementation of the study and deliberation on the ethical issues raised.



ABSTRACT

Respondent-driven sampling is especially useful for reaching hidden populations and is increasingly used internationally in public health research, particularly on HIV. Respondent-driven sampling involves peer recruitment and has a dual-incentive structure: both recruiters and their peer recruits are paid.

Recent literature focusing on the ethical dimensions of this method in the US context has identified integral safeguards that protect against ethical violations. We analyzed a study of 3 groups in Lebanon who are at risk for HIV (injection drug users, men who have sex with men, female sex workers) and the ethical issues that arose.

More explicit attention should be given to ethical issues involved in research implementing respondent-driven sampling of at-risk populations in developing countries, where ethical review mechanisms may be weak.

Cited by

Salaam  Semaan, Douglas D.  Heckathorn, Don C.  Des Jarlais, Richard S.  Garfein. (2010) ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN SURVEYS EMPLOYING RESPONDENT-DRIVEN SAMPLING. American Journal of Public Health 100:4, 582-583
Online publication date: 1-Apr-2010.
Citation | Full Text | PDF (517 KB) | PDF Plus (459 KB) 
Jocelyn  DeJong, PhD, Ziyad  Mahfoud, PhD, Danielle  Khoury, MPH, Farah  Barbir, MPH, Rema Adel  Afifi, PhD. (2010) DEJONG ET AL. RESPOND. American Journal of Public Health 100:4, 583-584
Online publication date: 1-Apr-2010.
Citation | Full Text | PDF (432 KB)