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Polling Booth Surveys: A Novel Approach for Reducing Social Desirability Bias in HIV-Related Behavioural Surveys in Resource-Poor Settings

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Abstract

This study compared rates of HIV-related sexual risk behaviours reported in individual face-to-face (FTFI) and group anonymous polling booth (PBS) interviews in India. In PBS, respondents grouped by gender and marital status answered yes/no questions by putting tokens with question numbers in colour-coded containers. Data were subsequently collated for each group as a whole, so responses were not traceable back to individuals. Male and female PBS participants reported substantially higher rates of pre-marital, extra-marital, commercial and anal sex than FTFI participants; e.g. 11 vs. 2% married males reported paying for sex; 6 vs. 1% unmarried males reported homosexual anal sex.

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Acknowledgments

This research was funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The polling booth survey methodology was developed in India by Catalyst Management Services and Mahila Samakhya Karnataka.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. URESP, Centre de Recherche FRSQ du CHA Universitaire de Québec, Quebec, Canada

    Catherine M. Lowndes & Michel Alary

  2. Department of HIV & Sexually Transmitted Infections, Health Protection Services—Colindale, Health Protection Agency, 61 Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5EQ, UK

    Catherine M. Lowndes

  3. London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK

    Catherine M. Lowndes

  4. CHARME-India Project, Bangalore, India

    A. A. Jayachandran & Pradeep Banandur

  5. Rajarajeswari Medical College and Hospital, Bangalore, India

    Pradeep Banandur

  6. University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada

    Banadakoppa M. Ramesh, Stephen Moses & James Blanchard

  7. Karnataka Health Promotion Trust, Bangalore, India

    Banadakoppa M. Ramesh, Reynold Washington & B. M. Sangameshwar

  8. St. John’s Medical College and Hospital, Bangalore, India

    Reynold Washington

  9. Karuna Medical College and Hospital, Palakkad, India

    B. M. Sangameshwar

  10. Département de médecine sociale et préventive, Université Laval, Québec, Canada

    Michel Alary

Authors
  1. Catherine M. Lowndes
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  2. A. A. Jayachandran
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  3. Pradeep Banandur
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  4. Banadakoppa M. Ramesh
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  5. Reynold Washington
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  6. B. M. Sangameshwar
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  7. Stephen Moses
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  8. James Blanchard
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  9. Michel Alary
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Catherine M. Lowndes.

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Lowndes, C.M., Jayachandran, A.A., Banandur, P. et al. Polling Booth Surveys: A Novel Approach for Reducing Social Desirability Bias in HIV-Related Behavioural Surveys in Resource-Poor Settings. AIDS Behav 16, 1054–1062 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-011-0004-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-011-0004-1

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