Second, response rates varied across surveys, and while weights were utilized to adjust for differential probabilities of selection and to match samples with population sociodemographic distributions in all countries, the effect of non-response on rates of TE exposure is unknown. Furthermore, there may be cultural differences in willingness to disclose sensitive information. We attempted to minimize under-reporting of sensitive information by including an option to report an unspecified private event. The private event accounted for 1.2–2.1% of all TEs worldwide, with an IQR between countries of 3.5–5.8%. The narrowness of this range provides indirect evidence that cultural differences in disclosing stigmatizing TEs were not substantial. However, the possibility of cross-cultural differences in the willingness even to acknowledge a private event cannot be excluded. Bulgaria, in particular, had low rates of all TEs, and yet the private event in Bulgaria accounted for a greater proportion of all events (3.3%) than any other country (except Japan), suggesting that under-reporting of stigmatizing TEs may account for low rates in this country.
