Adaptation of Venue-Day-Time Sampling in Southeast Asia to Access Men Who Have Sex with Men for HIV Assessment in Bangkok

Abstract

This article describes adaptation and implementation of venue-day-time (VDT) sampling to enroll Thai men who have sex with men (MSM) through bars, saunas, and parks in Bangkok for the first community-based assessment of HIV prevalence and risk behavior. VDT sampling had four phases: (1) identification and geographic mapping of venues, (2) enumerating foot traffic at a subset of venues, (3) determination of eligibility and willingness to participate at a further subset of venues, and (4) enrollment of participants at a final set of venues. Field staff included peer staff, information technologists, and lab specialists. Survey data were collected with handheld computers; oral fluid specimens were collected for HIV testing. Local stakeholders were included in the process. The VDT sampling process took 6 months to complete, with 1,121 MSM enrolled. The successful implementation of VDT sampling provides a model for adapting the method to access and assess hard-to-reach populations in other non-Western settings.