Section | Examples of variables | Measures and standardized scales |
---|---|---|
Socio-demographics | Age, country of birth, ethnicity, relationship status, accommodation status, employment status, income | Adapted from the Health in Men [15] and Positive Health [16] studies |
Sexual practices | Sexual identity | Adapted from Health in Men and Positive Health studies [15, 16] |
Age at first receptive anal intercourse: | ||
Number of lifetime insertive and receptive anal partners (with and without a condom) | ||
Lifetime number of female partners | ||
Preferred position during anal sex (receptive or insertive) | ||
Number of insertive and receptive anal partners (with and without a condom) in the previous six months | ||
Frequency of fingering, fisting and insertion of toys and other objects in the previous six months | ||
Gay social engagement | Time spent with gay/homosexual friends | Gay community periodic surveys [19] |
Disclosure of sexuality to friends/family | ||
Number of gay friends | ||
Involvement with gay community | ||
Health and lifestyle | Smoking status | 45 and Up study [20] |
Alcohol and drug use | ||
History of health problems (lifetime and in the last month) | ||
History of depression and anxiety | ||
Physical activity | ||
General health | ||
Section | Examples of Variables | Measures and Standardized Scales |
Anal health | History and frequency of anal douching | Adapted from the Blokes with Anal Squamous Intraepithelial Lesions (BASIL) study [21] |
History of STIs | ||
Anal symptoms | ||
HPV knowledge | ||
Psychosocial evaluation | Generic measure of health related quality of life | SF36 v2 (Australian) [22] |
Disease specific distress associated with diagnosis of SIL | Cervical Dysplasia Distress and Screening questionnaires (modified) [23, 24] | |
Generic measures of distress | Distress thermometer [24] | |
Worry about developing anal cancer Perception of risk of anal cancer | Cancer worry [24] | |
Frequency of thinking about the tests | Perceived risk of cancer Intrusive thoughts [25] | |
Psychosexual health | ||
HIV-positive status specific | Length of HIV infection | Positive Health study [16] |
Viral load | ||
Most recent CD4-Tcell count | ||
Nadir CD4-Tcell count | ||
Type of antiretroviral medication | ||
Length of time on antiretroviral medication | ||
History of AIDS associated illness | ||
Procedure related feedback | Post procedure pain and bleeding | |
Length of pain and bleeding | ||
Discomfort associated with the procedures | ||
Other | Reason for joining study | Adapted from Health In Men and positive Health studies [15, 16] |
Source of recruitment |