Skip to main content

Table 1 Changes to the Sex, Drugs and Rock’n’Roll (SDRR) survey

From: “I am yet to encounter any survey that actually reflects my life”: a qualitative study of inclusivity in sexual health research

Topic

2015 questions

Updated questions

Description of changes

Gender

What is your gender?

Options: Male, female, transgender, other [option to specify]

What is your gender? (Please select all that apply)

Options: Female, male, transgender, non-binary/genderqueer, other [option to specify]

Participants now have more flexibility in specifying their gender identity and can choose multiple options that describe them. Transgender participants can specify their gender identity rather than just noting they are transgender.

Intersex status

Not asked

Intersex is a term for people born with atypical physical sex characteristics. There are many different intersex traits or variations. Do you have an intersex variation?

Options: Yes/No

Inclusion of intersex status.

Sexual identity

How do you identify yourself?

Options: Heterosexual (straight), bisexual, gay/homosexual/lesbian, questioning, queer, other [option to specify]

How do you currently identify yourself? (Please select all that apply)

Options: Heterosexual (straight), gay/homosexual/lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, asexual, queer, questioning, I don’t know/unsure, I don’t label myself, other [option to specify]

Question reworded to specify current sexual identity. Participants able to choose multiple terms. Additional options included.

Sexual behaviour

How old were you when you first experienced the following? (drop down box with age options)

Deep kissing, touching a partner’s genitals with your hands, being touched on your genitals by a partner’s hand, giving oral sex, receiving oral sex, vaginal intercourse (penis in vagina), anal sex (penis in anus)

In the following questions, ‘sex’ means vaginal and/or anal sex.

How many people have you had sex with in your lifetime?

In the last 12 months, how many males have you had sex with?

In the last 12 months, how many females have you had sex with?

(Categories for response ranging 0-51+)

Questions are asked in relation to the following behaviours:

Touching a partner’s genitals with your hands, being touched on your genitals by a partner’s hand, giving oral sex, receiving oral sex, vaginal intercourse (penetration of vagina by penis), anal intercourse (penetration of anus by penis),

The following questions are asked for each behaviour:

How old were you when you experienced this for the first time?

How many people have you done this with in the your lifetime?

In the last 12 months, how many partners of each gender identity below have you done this with? (# male partners/# female partners/# other)

More options included for each sexual behaviour rather than just age of first experience.

‘Sex’ not defined before questions; rather, questions are worded more specifically.

Question asked in table format.

Participants only asked relevant questions (e.g., if they have never experienced vaginal intercourse, they will not be asked subsequent questions about vaginal intercourse).

STI risk behaviour

In the last 12 months how often did you use a condom with [regular/casual/new] sex partner/s?

Categories for response: N/A no partner/s in past 12 months, always used a condom, usually (>50 %), sometimes (≤50 %), never used a condom with partner/s

In the last 12 months, how often did you use a condom during fellatio (mouth to penis, ‘blow jobs’)?

In the last 12 months, how often did you use a glove, dam or other barrier during cunnilingus (mouth to vulva or vagina, ‘going down’)?

The following questions are related to penetrative sex (i.e., penetration of a vagina or anus with a penis).

In the last 12 months how often did you use a condom with [regular/casual/new] sex partner/s during penetrative sex?

Categories for response: N/A No [behaviour/behaviour with relevant partner/s] in last 12 months, always used a condom/barrier, usually (>50 %), sometimes (≤50 %), never used a condom/barrier [with relevant partner/s]

‘Sex’ not defined before set of questions; rather, questions are worded more specifically.

Questions asked for fellatio and cunnilingus as well as penetrative sex.

If participants report not engaging in the specified sexual behaviour in the last 12 months in earlier questions, they will not be shown the related questions for the behaviour.

Contraception use at last penetrative sex

The last time you had sex, which form(s) of contraception did you or the person you had sex with use? (tick all that apply) Options: Condom, oral contraception (the pill), injection (Depo Provera), implant (implanon), emergency/morning after pill, withdrawal/pulling out, none, other [option to specify]

The last time you had vaginal intercourse (penis in vagina), which form(s) of contraception did you or your partner use? (Please select all that apply)

Options: N/A (one of us was pregnant or trying to become pregnant), condom, oral contraception (the pill), injection (Depo Provera), implant (implanon), intrauterine device (IUD), diaphragm, hormonal ring, emergency/morning after pill, withdrawal/pulling out, other [option to specify], I don’t know, none of these

Only asked if reporting vaginal intercourse ever.

More options added.

  1. N.B. ‘I don’t wish to say’ is also an option for all questions in the both original and updated surveys