Spitting for science at RAU: Quality in quantitative research on HIV/AIDS

This article provides a detailed description of the methodology used in a 2001 study that investigated HIV/AIDS amongst students at RAU. The account indicates that not only was our research design sound, but our method of linking an objective test of HIV status to a questionnaire was both a novel and an effective approach to HIV/AIDS research. The article further outlines the steps that were taken to enhance the degree of trust between researcher and respondent; trust being important in research that is considered sensitive in nature. Of 1,217 students who participated, 1.1 percent tested HIV positive. Discussions of the oral fluid test, the representivity of the sample and, importantly, the participation of HIV positive students shows that this finding, which was quite different from our expectation of around ten percent, was not due to an error in the design of the study, nor its procedures, but, instead, reflects the HIV/AIDS situation on RA U's campus. The article shows that qualitative judgements can be important in conducting quantitative research. Finally, on an optimistic note, the low rate of infection found provides hope that the rise of HIV infection can indeed be countered.