Estimating HIV Rates Among Young Men ¹

Problem: The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) wanted to estimate the seroprevalence of HIV and risk factors among young men who have sex with men. Their problem was locating an appropriate sample.

A Solution: Working with local health departments, the CDC identified public venues frequented by young men who have sex with men, including dance clubs, bars, parks, street locations, business establishments, and social organizations. At a sample of the venues, one staff member counted the number of young men who appeared to be between 15 and 22 years of age as they entered the area or establishment. Other staff members intercepted the men who were counted and briefly interviewed them to determine if they were eligible for the study.

"Young men who agree to participate are taken to a van parked near the venue. As an added measure to screen out duplicates, recruited men are introduced to all available staff. In the van, trained staff administers a standardized questionnaire to consenting participants, perform HIV/ AIDS counseling, draw blood for testing, provide referrals for social support or medical services as needed, and dispense participant stipends.

"Using a standardized questionnaire, staff members conduct confidential face-to-face interviews with young men about their demographic characteristics, venue attendance frequencies, HIV -related risk behaviors, and factors potentially associated with these risk behaviors. In addition to standard demographic items such as age and race/ethnicity, young men are asked about their current household, school, and employment situations, and their parents' educational status."

Your Opinions:

1. Are there ethical problems with soliciting young men as young as age 15 to participate in this study without parental consent? Explain.

2. In addition to collecting research data, the researchers offered services (such as counseling). Does this ameliorate any ethical concerns you have?

3. Suppose the CDC decided to seek parental consent before interviewing the young men. How successful do you think they would be in getting an adequate sample? Explain.