AEGiS-10IAC: Reliability of adolescent HIV behavioral self-reports.

10th International AIDS Conference


Yokohama, Japan — Aug 7-12, 1994

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Reliability of adolescent HIV behavioral self-reports.

Int Conf AIDS 1994 Aug 7-12; 10:402 (abstract no. PD0789)
Collins J, Davis N, Kann L, Warren C; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30341-3724.

BACKGROUND: Considerable HIV research depends on the use of behavioral self-reports as the outcome of interest. However, little psychometric data is available regarding the quality of such data.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the reliability of adolescents' self-reports of HIV-risk behaviors. CDC's Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) has been used in the United States since 1990 to measure HIV and related risk behaviors among high school students in 43 states and territories and 14 major urban cities.

METHODS: The reliability study was conducted by administering the YRBS to 2000 students in grades 7-12 on two occasions 14 days apart. A Kappa statistic was computed for each of 53 self-report items. Group prevalence estimates were also compared across the two test occasions.

RESULTS: Kappas ranged from 14.5 to 91.1. The lowest reliability was found for lifetime use of injected drugs. Self-reports regarding lifetime sexual intercourse were highly reliable with Kappas > 80. No significant differences were found between the prevalence estimates at Time 1 and Time 2.

DISCUSSION: With the exception of injected drug use, students appear to provide reliable self-reports of HIV-risk behaviors. Results from pilot tests of revised versions of the injected drug use question will be described.

Keywords: AEGIS, Risk-Taking, Adolescent Behavior, Students, HIV Infections, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.), Psychometrics, Prevalence, Adolescent, Substance-Related Disorders, United States, Adolescence, Human, methods, ICA10KWDaegis,risk-taking,adolescentbehavior,students,hivinfections,centersfordiseasecontrolandprevention(uKWDsKWD),psychometrics,prevalence,adolescent,substance-relateddisorders,unitedstates,adolescence,human,methods,ica10
940807
PD0789

Copyright © 1994 - International AIDS Society (IAS). Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the IAS.