Monday, June 30, 2025 6/30/2025

IDU Peer Recruitment Dynamics and Network Structure in Respondent Driven Sampling

Award Number: R01DA031594
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 03/15/2011
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 02/29/2016

Group Awards By:

View Award Description

IDU Peer Recruitment Dynamics and Network Structure in Respondent Driven Sampling - DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This proposed study is an in-depth assessment of peer recruitment dynamics and respondents' multiple layered social networks when Respondent Driven Sampling (RDS), a very popular recruitment tool and sampling method in HIV research and surveillance, is implemented among injection drug users (IDUs). Findings from this study will contribute to better understanding of and improvements in the performance of RDS statistical models that allow unbiased population estimates for hidden populations at high risk of HIV transmission such as IDUs, men who have sex with men, and commercial sex workers. The early RDS statistical models were based on strong but unsupported assumptions regarding the peer recruitment process and the structure of underlying social networks. With increasing applications to a variety of populations in different contexts, serious skepticism has arisen regarding the validity of RDS's statistical inference models, due to the challenges to meet these assumptions during implementation and recent discovery that population estimations derived from the most widely used model are substantially less accurate than generally acknowledged. A small group of researchers are now developing new models that are less sensitive to violations of assumptions or based on more realistic yet still somewhat idealistic recruitment dynamics that require accurate reporting of network size and composition. Furthermore, the most striking gap in the RDS literature is the failure to address the complexity of the social networks of high- risk populations and factors affecting peer referral behavior and network information reporting. To address these concerns and their implications for RDS statistical model performance, we propose to achieve the following aims focused on an IDU population: 1) Recruit a sample of IDUs using RDS and simultaneously conduct a social network study of recruited individuals; 2) Understand factors that influence peer recruitment intention decision making, dynamics of recruitment attempts, enrollment attrition and changes in influences over time as peer recruitment proceeds; and 3) Understand the composition and structures of IDUs' multi-layered social networks (i.e., the injection risk network, the intent and actual peer recruitment network, and final enrollment network members), and the association among them. We propose to recruit a typical RDS sample of 500 IDUs in Hartford, CT. Comprehensive social network surveys at recruitment and at 2-month follow-up will generate network data beyond the 500 participants and allow mapping of multiple networks within the IDU sample. These data will be used in ego-centric and sociometric network analyses to better understand the complex social network structures of IDUs in the context of RDS implementation. Sixty qualitative in-depth interviews will assess IDUs' actual peer recruitment experiences and change in their multi-layered social network composition and structures related to the RDS peer recruitment processes. Computer simulation will also be used to assess the sensitivity of potential assumption violations.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2018 ( Subtotal = -$8,201 )
2018	2013	INSTITUTE FOR COMMUNITY RESEARCH, INC	2 HARTFORD SQ W STE 100	HARTFORD	CT	06106	CAPITOL	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	001	3	1/25/2018	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$7,399
2018	2013	INSTITUTE FOR COMMUNITY RESEARCH, INC	2 HARTFORD SQ W STE 100	HARTFORD	CT	06106	CAPITOL	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	003	3	9/30/2018	SUPPLEMENT FOR EXPANSION	-$7,399
2018	2013	INSTITUTE FOR COMMUNITY RESEARCH, INC	2 HARTFORD SQ W STE 100	HARTFORD	CT	06106	CAPITOL	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	000	3	11/14/2017	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$7,399
2018	2013	INSTITUTE FOR COMMUNITY RESEARCH, INC	2 HARTFORD SQ W STE 100	HARTFORD	CT	06106	CAPITOL	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	002	3	9/30/2018	SUPPLEMENT FOR EXPANSION	-$802
														Subtotal = -$8,201

Issue Date FY: 2015 ( Subtotal = $0 )
2015	2013	INSTITUTE FOR COMMUNITY RESEARCH	2 HARTFORD SQUARE W STE 100	HARTFORD	CT	06106	CAPITOL	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	000	3	2/13/2015	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
														Subtotal = $0

Issue Date FY: 2013 ( Subtotal = $492,623 )
2013	2013	INSTITUTE FOR COMMUNITY RESEARCH	2 HARTFORD SQUARE W STE 100	HARTFORD	CT	06106	CAPITOL	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	002	3	5/21/2013	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$27,779
2013	2013	INSTITUTE FOR COMMUNITY RESEARCH	2 HARTFORD SQUARE W STE 100	HARTFORD	CT	06106	CAPITOL	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	001	3	4/11/2013	SUPPLEMENT FOR EXPANSION	$48,160
2013	2013	INSTITUTE FOR COMMUNITY RESEARCH	2 HARTFORD SQUARE W STE 100	HARTFORD	CT	06106	CAPITOL	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	000	3	3/1/2013	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$416,684
														Subtotal = $492,623

Issue Date FY: 2012 ( Subtotal = $577,279 )
2012	2012	INSTITUTE FOR COMMUNITY RESEARCH	2 HARTFORD SQUARE W STE 100	HARTFORD	CT	06106	CAPITOL	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	000	2	2/24/2012	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$577,279
														Subtotal = $577,279

Issue Date FY: 2011 ( Subtotal = $488,409 )
2011	2011	INSTITUTE FOR COMMUNITY RESEARCH	2 HARTFORD SQUARE W STE 100	HARTFORD	CT	06106	CAPITOL	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	000	1	3/8/2011	NEW	$488,409
														Subtotal = $488,409

Grand Total All Awards = $1,550,110

Top

All Categories

About

Search

Reports

Data Submission

Award Information

IDU Peer Recruitment Dynamics and Network Structure in Respondent Driven Sampling

Award Number: R01DA031594

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 03/15/2011

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 02/29/2016

Federal Websites

Department of Health & Human Services

HHS Operating Divisions

HHS Staff Divisions

Download A Document Viewer