Lessons learned from using respondent-driven sampling (RDS) to assess sexual risk behaviors among Kenyan young adults living in urban slum settlements: A process evaluation

Respondent-driven sampling (RDS) is a peer-referral sampling methodology used to estimate characteristics of underserved groups that cannot be randomly sampled. RDS has been implemented in several settings to identify hidden populations at risk for HIV, but few studies have reported the methodological lessons learned on RDS design and implementation for assessing sexual risk behaviors in marginalized youth.RDS is an important tool in reaching a diverse sample of underserved and at-risk young adults for study participation. Implications for optimizing RDS for behavioral studies in this population are discussed.