The Use of Respondent-Driven Sampling to Recruit At-Risk Minority Men Who Have Sex with Men in Massachusetts

This study assessed the ability of a modified respondent-driven sampling (RDS) method to recruit racial and ethnic minority men who have sex with men (MSM) at risk for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). We used a modified RDS technique, a relatively new method of chain-referral sampling, to recruit 50 MSM in Greater Boston for a behavioral survey and interview. Traditional recruitment methods used by Fenway Community Health, a community-based health care and research facility, yield samples comprised of 15% to 30% racial/ethnic minority MSM. The present study recruited a sample of 60% racial/ethnic minority MSM, a significant difference from these earlier studies (all p values <.0001). Forty-five percent of the sample reported an annual income of less than $12,000, and 17% did not always have a regular place to live in the past year. Sixty-six percent of respondents were HIV infected; 43% reported a prior STI diagnosis. This study provides evidence that a modified RDS strategy can effectively engage at-risk racial/ethnic minority MSM, which has important implications for the enrollment of these populations in HIV prevention interventions and other social services.