Differences in Misreporting of Sexual Behavior Over Time

Abstract

We used data from a prospective study of 300 women attending a sexually transmitted infection clinic in Kingston, Jamaica, to compare participant self-report of recent semen exposure to actual semen exposure measured by prostate-specific antigen in vaginal swabs. Underreporting of semen exposure was significantly more frequent at follow-up than baseline, suggesting the accuracy of reports of sexual behavior may vary over time.

Addressing broader reproductive health needs of female sex workers through integrated family planning/ HIV prevention services: A non-randomized trial of a health-services intervention designed to improve uptake of family planning services in Kenya

“…This study’s results support previous research indicating self-reported condom use–a main component of our primary outcome–may indeed be problematic [31–33]. Inconsistencies between self-reported condom use, ability to negotiate condom use, and other markers of condom use, such as seeking STI and HIV services, or reporting unintended pregnancies and abortions, indicate that self-reported consistent condom use may be less than optimal measure of actual condom use behavior in this population.…”

PrEP Use Among Female Sex Workers: No Evidence for Risk Compensation

“…6,29 It is also possible that repeated counselling on condom use have led to an increase in social desirability bias over the course of the study, explaining the observed decrease in self-report of unprotected sex in the last 14 days and increase in under-reporting in the last 14 days. 9 However, when we corrected for potential selection bias using IPCW or when we assessed trends over the first 12 months of follow-up to eliminate potential selection bias due to administrative censorship, no trend in self-report of unprotected sex in the last 14 days and in under-reporting in the last 14 days was observed anymore, suggesting that the previously observed trends were rather due to selection bias than a real change in self-report. A possible explanation to this selection bias may be that the participants who did not withdraw or were recruited earlier in the recruitment period were participants being particularly concerned of being well-perceived and thus, tended to under-report unprotected sex to a higher extent than the participants who withdrew or were recruited later.…”

“…6–8 In longitudinal studies, the extent of social desirability bias may also vary with repeated counselling on condom use and repeated assessment of sexual behaviors, which could in turn bias assessments of trends in self-reported sexual behaviors. 9 STI may be considered as an objective assessment of unprotected sex; however, given that not every unprotected sex act will result in an STI, and given that a decrease in STI over time may reflect an increase in STI treatment rather than a decrease in unprotected sex, STI may not be the most valid biomarker to assess trends in unprotected sex. 7,10 In contrast, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and Y-chromosomal DNA (Yc-DNA), which have been shown to be valid biomarkers of recent semen exposure among women, 11–14 are not expected to vary independently from a change in unprotected sex over the course of a study.…”

Epidemiology of Domestically Acquired Amebiasis in Japan, 2000–2013

“…First, information regarding route of infection were self-reported surveillance data, and self-reported sexual activity information may be inaccurate. 31 Although 50% of cases had unknown route of infection, the "unknown" classification was selected by the reporting physician from a checkbox. The reason for such a selection may be due to the following reasons: 1) the physician did not ask the patient, 2) the patient had a suspected route in mind but did not answer the question, and 3) the patient had no idea of the potential route of infection.…”