Objective To estimate the population size of men who have sex with men (MSM) in a district of Weifang city, Shandong province using network scale-up method (NSUM) and to provide evidences for developing intervention programs in populations at high-risk of AIDS.
Methods We conducted a questionnaire survey among 3 185 permanent residents aged 18 – 60 years selected with multistage random sampling in Weicheng district of Weifang city from August to December 2018. The size of social network in general population of the district was estimated using NSUM; then the population size of MSM was estimated based on the estimated social network size and the recognition degree-weighted number of MSM the participants familiar with; and the estimated MSM population size was adjusted by ratios of the demographics-specific populations and the transmission rate of relevant information.
Results The estimated number of MSM in the district is 1 036 base on the results of stability analysis, adjustmenting for gender, age, education level, marital status, residing time, and elimination of outliers. After further adjustment for ratios of the demographics-specific populations and the transmission rate of relevant information, the estimated number of MSM is 4 054.
Conclusion Network scale-up method could be applied in the estimation of population size of men who have sex with men in a general population.
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