What Are the Consequences of Relying Upon Self-reports of Sexually Transmitted Diseases? Lessons Learned About Recanting in a Longitudinal Study

Overview

Journal J Adolesc Health

Publisher Elsevier

Specialty Pediatrics

Date 2009 Jul 25

PMID 19628146

Citations 14

Authors

Jacinda K Dariotis

Joseph H Pleck

Freya L Sonenstein

Nan M Astone

Frangiscos Sifakis

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Purpose: Self-reports are the standard measure of STD history used in survey research. We explored to what extent self-reports of ever having an STD are recanted in a follow-up data collection.

Methods: Using the National Survey of Adolescent Males (NSAM), we assessed consistency over time in self-reports of ever having an STD in a sample of young men transitioning from adolescence to young adulthood (aged 15-26 years), a population in which STDs are particularly prevalent.

Results: Approximately 7% of all sexually experienced young men rescinded STD self-reports over time. Thus, self-reports at one point in time likely underestimate true STD history, using earlier self-reports as the criterion. Among men who ever report an STD, 94-98% recant their reports in later waves.

Conclusions: Knowledge of the extent of underreporting can potentially be used to adjust cross-sectional estimates of STDs based on survey self-reports. These study findings move us one step closer to estimating just how much underreporting of STDs in self-reports is.

Citing Articles

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Jackman K, Murray S, Hightow-Weidman L, Trent M, Wirtz A, Baral S PLoS One. 2020; 15(8):e0237648.

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