TY - JOUR
T1 - Counting hard-to-count populations
T2 - the network scale-up method for public health.
AU - Bernard, H. Russell
AU - Hallett, Tim
AU - Iovita, Alexandrina
AU - Johnsen, Eugene C.
AU - Lyerla, Rob
AU - McCarty, Christopher
AU - Mahy, Mary
AU - Salganik, Matthew J.
AU - Saliuk, Tetiana
AU - Scutelniciuc, Otilia
AU - Shelley, Gene A.
AU - Sirinirund, Petchsri
AU - Weir, Sharon
AU - Stroup, Donna F.
PY - 2010/12
Y1 - 2010/12
N2 - Estimating sizes of hidden or hard-to-reach populations is an important problem in public health. For example, estimates of the sizes of populations at highest risk for HIV and AIDS are needed for designing, evaluating and allocating funding for treatment and prevention programmes. A promising approach to size estimation, relatively new to public health, is the network scale-up method (NSUM), involving two steps: estimating the personal network size of the members of a random sample of a total population and, with this information, estimating the number of members of a hidden subpopulation of the total population. We describe the method, including two approaches to estimating personal network sizes (summation and known population). We discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each approach and provide examples of international applications of the NSUM in public health. We conclude with recommendations for future research and evaluation.
AB - Estimating sizes of hidden or hard-to-reach populations is an important problem in public health. For example, estimates of the sizes of populations at highest risk for HIV and AIDS are needed for designing, evaluating and allocating funding for treatment and prevention programmes. A promising approach to size estimation, relatively new to public health, is the network scale-up method (NSUM), involving two steps: estimating the personal network size of the members of a random sample of a total population and, with this information, estimating the number of members of a hidden subpopulation of the total population. We describe the method, including two approaches to estimating personal network sizes (summation and known population). We discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each approach and provide examples of international applications of the NSUM in public health. We conclude with recommendations for future research and evaluation.
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U2 - 10.1136/sti.2010.044446
DO - 10.1136/sti.2010.044446
M3 - Article
C2 - 21106509
AN - SCOPUS:79953192568
SN - 1368-4973
VL - 86 Suppl 2
SP - ii11-15
JO - Sexually transmitted infections
JF - Sexually transmitted infections
ER -