Respondent-Driven Sampling: a new sampling method to study visible and hidden populations

Authors

  • Alejandro Mantecón Irefrea (Instituto Europeo de Estudios sobre la Prevención). Universidad de Alicante
  • Montse Juan Irefrea (Instituto Europeo de Estudios sobre la Prevención).
  • Amador Calafat Irefrea (Instituto Europeo de Estudios sobre la Prevención).
  • Elisardo Becoña Irefrea (Instituto Europeo de Estudios sobre la Prevención). Universidad de Santiago de Compostela.
  • Encarna Román Irefrea (Instituto Europeo de Estudios sobre la Prevención).

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.20882/adicciones.280

Keywords:

respondent-driven sampling, sampling technique, alcohol consumption, recreational drugs

Abstract

The paper introduces a variant of chain-referral sampling: respondent-driven sampling (RDS). This sampling method shows that methods based on network analysis can be combined with the statistical validity of standard probability sampling methods. In this sense, RDS appears to be a mathematical improvement of snowball sampling oriented to the study of hidden populations. However, we try to prove its validity with populations that are not within a sampling frame but can nonetheless be contacted without difficulty. The basics of RDS are explained through our research on young people (aged 14 to 25) who go clubbing, consume alcohol and other drugs, and have sex. Fieldwork was carried out between May and July 2007 in three Spanish regions: Baleares, Galicia and Comunidad Valenciana. The presentation of the study shows the utility of this type of sampling when the population is accessible but there is a difficulty deriving from the lack of a sampling frame. However, the sample obtained is not a random representative one in statistical terms of the target population. It must be acknowledged that the final sample is representative of a “pseudo-population” that approximates to the target population but is not identical to it.

References

Abdul-Quader, A. S., Heckathorn, D. D., Sabin, K. y Saidel, T. (2006). Implementation and Analysis of Respondent Driven Sampling: Lessons Learned from the Field. Journal of Urban Health, 83, 1-5.

Calafat, A., Adrover, D., Blay, N. y Juan, M. (2008). Relación del consumo de alcohol y drogas con la siniestralidad vial de los jóvenes españoles durante la vida recreativa nocturna. Revista Española de Salud Pública. Manuscrito remitido para publicación.

Calafat, A., Juan, M., Becoña, E., Mantecón, A. y Ramón, A. (2008). Sexualidad de riesgo y consumo de drogas en el contexto recreativo. Una perspectiva de género. Psicothema (En prensa).

Deaux, E. y Callaghan, J. W. (1985). Key informant versus self-report estimates of health behavior, Evaluation Review, 9, 365-368.

Goodman, L. A. (1961). Snowball Sampling, Annals of Mathematical Statistics, 32: 148-170.

Heckathorn, D. (1997). Respondent-Driven Sampling: A New

Approach to the Study of Hidden Populations, Social Problems, 44: 174-199.

Heckathorn, D. (2002). Respondent-Driven Sampling II: Deriving Valid Population Estimates from Chain-Referral Samples of Hidden Populations, Social Problems, 49: 11-34.

Heckathorn, D. (2007). Extensions of Respondent-Driven Sampling: analyzing continuous variables and controlling for differential recruitment, Sociological Methodology, 37: 151-207.

Heckathorn, D. y Jeffri, J. (2005). Assessing the Feasibility of

Respondent-Driven Sampling: Aging Artist in New York City. Documento de trabajo. Research Center for Arts and Culture (Teachers College, Columbia University) editado en la web http://www.tc.columbia.edu/centers/rcac/pdf/FeasRep_12.pdf [consultado el 17 de junio de 2007].

Heimer, R. (2005). Critical Issues and Further Questions about Respondent-Driven Sampling: Comment on

Ramirez-Valles, et al. (2005). AIDS and Behavior, 9: 403-408.

Salganik, M. J. (2006). Variance Estimation, Design Effects, and Sample Size Calculations for Respondent-Driven Sampling”, Journal of Urban Health, 83: 98-112.

Salganik, M. J. y Heckathorn, D. (2004). Sampling and estimation in hidden populations using Respondent-Driven Sampling, Sociological Methodology, 34: 193-239.

Stormer, A., Tun, W., Guli, L., Harxhi, A., Bodanovskaia,Z., Yakovleva, A., Rusakova, M., Levina, O., Bani, R., Rjepaj, K. y Bino, S. (2006). An Analysis of Respondent Driven Sampling with Injection Drug Users (IDU) in Albania and the Russian Federation. Journal of Urban Health, 83: 73-82.

Wang, J., Carlson, R. G., Falck, R. S., Siegal, H. A., Rahman,

A. y Li, L. (2005) Respondent-driven sampling to recruit MDMA users: a methodological assessment. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 78, 147-57.

Watters, J.K. y Biernacki, P. (1989). Targeted sampling: Options for the study of hidden populations, Social Problems, 36: 416-430.

Downloads

Published

2008-06-01

Issue

Vol. 20 No. 2 (2008)

Section

Originals