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Sexual Behavior And Sti/Hiv Status Among Adolescents In Rural Malawi: An Evaluation Of The Effect Of Interview Mode On Reporting, Barbara Mensch, Paul C. Hewett, Richard Gregory, Stephane Helleringer

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

This paper presents the results from an interview-mode experiment conducted by the Population Council with unmarried young women in rural southern Malawi. To collect data on sexual behavior and the dynamics of HIV transmission, respondents were randomly assigned to either an audio computer-assisted self-interview (ACASI) or a conventional face-to-face (FTF) interview. Clear evidence indicates that the mode of interviewing and probing concerning various sexual partnerships affects respondents’ reporting of their sexual activity, yet the results are not always in accordance with expectations. Reporting for “ever had sex” and “sex with a boyfriend” is higher in the FTF mode, whereas, when …