Study on thea application of several sampling methods in HIV/AIDS surveyamong female sex workers

Objective To study the feasibility and efficiency of three sampling methods among community female sex workers,and provide scientific basis on sampling method for future HIV/AIDS surveillance.Methods Snow-ball sampling,respondent-driven sampling,and time-location sampling were used to recruit community female sex workers in Guangdong Province.The recruitment efficiency and the social and demographic characteristics among the samples were compared.Results There were no significant difference in the recruitment efficiency between snow-ball sampling,respondent-driven sampling,and time-location sampling.Respondent driven sampling and time location sampling were more effective to recruit those from the female sex workers of the middle and lower class.Snow-ball sampling resulted in more selection bias.Respondent driven sampling could reach more hidden population such as street-based female sex workers.Conclusions The HIV/AIDS surveillance among female sex workers should consider the probability sampling method,such as respondent driven sampling or time location sampling method.