Table 2.

Participants’ perspectives on the survey instrument and process^a.

Theme	Pilot survey results
Length of time to complete the survey questionnaire
	Majority of participants (10/15, 67%) completed the Web-based survey questionnaire in approximately 30-45 minutes (range: 10-70 minutes).
	Length of time to complete the questionnaire appeared to be linked with participants’ familiarity with computers.
	Although 7 participants felt 30-45 minutes was an appropriate length of time to complete the survey, overall participants were divided on the appropriate length of time it should take to complete the survey questionnaire.
Overall thoughts on the Web-based survey questionnaire
	Participants described the HIV, Health and Rehabilitation Survey questionnaire as “comprehensive”, “detailed”, “straightforward”, which supported content validity in each section.
	Some participants found the instrument “too or very long”, but were unable to suggest items to remove from the instrument, stating all was relevant and important.
	While some participants felt it was burdensome, others wanted more items to further explain their experiences.
Ease of usage and format
	Majority of participants (13/17, 76%) felt instructions and item wording were clear and easy to understand.
	Some participants with English as a second language found challenges with the survey terminology.
	Participants were divided on whether they preferred a questionnaire that could be completed in one sitting versus having a save and return option.
	Some felt if participants were completing the survey in a public space (eg, community organization or library), an anonymous survey that could be completed in one sitting would be essential.
	Others expressed concerns about providing personal information required to save and return later, which could make them less willing to participate in the survey.
Software
	LimeSurvey software was an ideal mechanism in which to administer the survey.
	The majority of participants (13/15, 87%) had no technological difficulties and found the software “straightforward”, “easy to work through, go back and forth”, and “easy to navigate”.
	Some identified potential barriers such as the ability to access a computer and the ability for community organizations to have dedicated computers and space to complete the survey.
	Others raised potential barriers for those not familiar with computers.
	Participants appreciated having no timeout factor, which enabled them to complete the survey at their own pace on their own time. Eight participants used the option to move forward and back during the survey.
	Participants who navigated backwards did so when they realized they had missed certain items, wished to review answers, or wanted to add to an earlier answer when triggered by a later question.
	Participants appreciated having the completion proportion rate (%) at the top of the survey to monitor their progress.
	Eleven participants reported they did not intentionally skip questions in the survey. The majority of participants (12/16, 75%) favored having a pop-up reminder of missed items so that they could choose to go back to complete or confirm that they choose to refuse to answer.
Clarity of instructions and question wording
	Majority of participants (13/16, 81%) felt that the instructions and questions were clear and there was flow to the sequence of items.
	Others found instructions and questions “wordy”, response options “too much” or “a little bit hard to understand”, and after a while reported: “I was just watching the completion bar”.
Token of appreciation
	Participants had varying preferences for the type of token of appreciation for their participation in the research, but felt it should not be less than CDN $20.
	Many liked the choice of an electronic gift card and preferred receiving an honorarium compared with having their name entered in a draw for a larger prize.

^aNote the denominator may change based on the number of participants who responded to the interview question.