Sample composition and HIV prevention indicator differences using physical vs. virtual venue recruitment of men who have sex with men in San Francisco.
American journal of epidemiology November 28, 2024 Izzy Chiu, Moranda Tate, Dillon Trujillo et al.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the National HIV Behavioral Surveillance in San Francisco shifted from recruiting men who have sex with men at physical venues (in 2017) to recruiting them through online or virtual venues (in 2021). Both methods exceeded their target of 500 participants (502 in 2017, 505 in 2021). The virtual sample included fewer people experiencing homelessness or incarceration and more with health insurance and postgraduate degrees. After adjusting for these differences along with age, race, and employment, PrEP use increased from 2017 to 2021, as did use of marijuana, poppers, ketamine, psilocybin, and LSD. Virtual venue recruitment proved viable for tracking HIV-related behavior trends.