Biobehavioural Survey Guidelines for Populations at Risk for HIV

To address a public health problem, you first have to measure it accurately. Biobehavioural surveys have proven to be invaluable tools for measuring and addressing HIV, which remains the world’s biggest public health challenge. This current iteration of the Biobehavioural survey guidelines is a welcome addition to the list of useful documents targeting those who plan to conduct biobehavioural surveys of HIV and HIV-risk behaviours in their countries.

The guidelines fill a gap in providing tools for surveying HIV prevalence in key populations, and the included questionnaires may also inform general population surveys.

Currently, many researchers undertake surveys using country-specific indicators. These guidelines standardize the conduct of biobehavioural surveys to permit comparisons between as well as within countries over time.