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Background: Assisted partner notification services (APNS) may increase HIV testing, early diagnosis, and treatment, but they are not formally implemented in Mexico, where the HIV epidemic is concentrated in men who have sex with men (MSM) and transwomen (TW). This study aimed to explore the awareness of and need for HIV partner notification, as well as to outline potential strategies for APNS based on identified barriers and facilitators.Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews to explore partner notification with MSM, TW, and counselors. Afterwards, brainstorm sessions were carried out to produce strategies for implementing APNS.Results: Most participants reported experiences with informal partner notification and serostatus disclosure, but not with APNS. Only one counselor indicated assisting notification systematically. The main barriers for notifying or disclosing mentioned by both MSM and TW included fear of (violent) reactions, discrimination and lacking contact information of casual partners. Participants thought it was easier to inform a formal partner, conditional of being well informed about HIV. Given current stigma and lack of awareness, it was suggested that APNS should be preceded by HIV awareness efforts, and be provided by counselors or peers to mitigate potential rejection or violent reactions.Conclusions: While APNS are not formally implemented in Mexico, all participants supported the service, indicating that APNS could potentially enhance early HIV diagnosis in Mexico. Strategies to implement such services need to be flexible addressing the individual needs of participants, guaranteeing the safety of more vulnerable participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of a Mandarin-language version of an instrument that assesses the Consequences of HIV Disclosure (CoHD).Patients and methods: The original CoHD instrument developed by Serovich was translated into Mandarin and administered to a random sample of 184 persons living with HIV (PLWH) using face-to-face and structured interviews. The CoHD instrument required respondents to rate the importance of eight costs (eg, might lose the relationship) and ten rewards (eg, would bring us closer) in their decision about whether to self-disclose their HIV status. The participants were directed to respond with respect to a current (or hypothetical) sexual partner.Results: Internal consistency was acceptable (Cronbach's α for the overall scale 0.82, costs 0.71, and rewards 0.86), as was stability (test–retest reliability overall 0.74, cost 0.63, and rewards 0.82). The CVI for the scale was 0.83, with items rated by subject experts ranging from 0.80 to 1.0. To determine structural validity, exploratory factor analysis extracted two subscales consistent with the original CoHD subscales. The Mandarin CoHD scores were significantly correlated with disclosure self-efficacy (indicating convergent validity), but they were unrelated to safer sex efficacy (indicating divergent validity). This criterion was tested by comparing the scores of PLWH who disclosed their HIV status (mean±SD 53.57±9.06) with those who did not disclose it (mean±SD 49.63±7.45); however, the difference was not statistically significant.Conclusion: The Mandarin version of the CoHD instrument demonstrates promising psychometric properties when assessing costs and rewards with respect to sexual partner disclosure. This suggests that it might be useful in research on partner notification strategies. In further studies, larger and more diverse samples and an analysis of responses for different disclosure targets are warranted. Moreover, whether the CoHD score is related to the decision of disclosure should be determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patient-initiated partner notification (PN) following the diagnosis of a sexually transmitted infection is a critical component of disease control in men who have sex with men (MSM) sexual networks. Both printed and internet-based technologies offer potential tools to enhance traditional partner notification approaches among MSM in resource-limited settings.Objective: This randomized controlled trial aimed to evaluate the effect of 2 different PN technologies on notification outcomes following syphilis diagnosis among MSM in Peru: a Web-based notification system and patient-delivered partner referral cards.Methods: During 2012-2014, we screened 1625 MSM from Lima, Peru, for syphilis infection and enrolled 370 MSM with symptomatic primary or secondary syphilis (n=58) or asymptomatic latent syphilis diagnosed by serology (rapid plasma reagin, RPR, and Microhemagglutination assay for Treponema pallidum antibody; n=312). Prior to enrollment, potential participants used a computer-based self-interviewing system to enumerate their recent sexual partnerships and provide details of their 3 most recent partners. Eligible participants were randomly assigned to one of 4 intervention arms: (1) counseling and patient-initiated Web-based PN (n=95), (2) counseling with Web-based partner notification and partner referral cards (n=84), (3) counseling and partner referral cards (n=97), and (4) simple partner notification counseling (control; n=94). Self-reported partner notification was assessed after 14 days among 354 participants who returned for the follow-up assessment.Results: The median age of enrolled participants was 27 (interquartile range, IQR 23-34) years, with a median of 2 partners (IQR 1-5) reported in the past month. Compared with those who received only counseling (arm 4), MSM provided with access to Web-based partner notification (arms 1 and 2) or printed partner referral cards (arms 2 and 3) were more likely to have notified one or more of their sexual partners (odds ratio, OR, 2.18, 95% CI 1.30-3.66; P=.003 and OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.01-2.79; P=.045, respectively). The proportion of partners notified was also higher in both Web-based partner notification (241/421, 57.2%; P<.001) and referral card (240/467, 51.4%; P=.006) arms than in the control arm (82/232, 35.3%).Conclusions: Both new Web-based technologies and traditional printed materials support patient-directed notification and improve self-reported outcomes among MSM with syphilis. Additional research is needed to refine the use of these partner notification tools in specific partnership contexts.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01720641; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01720641 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/70A89rJL4). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study explored spatial-temporal variation in diagnoses of gonorrhoea to identify and quantify endemic areas and clusters in relation to patient characteristics and outcomes of partner notification (PN) across England, UK. Methods: Endemic areas and clusters were identified using a two-stage analysis with Kulldorff’s scan statistics (SaTScan). Results: Of 2,571,838 tests, 53,547 diagnoses were gonorrhoea positive (positivity = 2.08%). The proportion of diagnoses in heterosexual males was 1.5 times that in heterosexual females. Among index cases, men who have sex with men (MSM) were 8 times more likely to be diagnosed with gonorrhoea than heterosexual males (p<0.0001). After controlling for age, gender, ethnicity and deprivation rank, 4 endemic areas were identified including 11,047 diagnoses, 86% of which occurred in London. 33 clusters included 17,629 diagnoses (34% of total diagnoses in 2012 and 2013) and spanned 21 locations, some of which were dominated by heterosexually acquired infection, whilst others were MSM focused. Of the 53,547 diagnoses, 14.5% (7,775) were the result of PN. The proportion of patients who attended services as a result of PN varied from 0% to 61% within different age, gender and sexual orientation cohorts. A third of tests resulting from PN were positive for gonorrhoea. 25% of Local Authorities (n = 81, 95% CI: 20.2, 29.5) had a higher than expected proportion for female PN diagnoses as compared to 16% for males (n = 52, 95% CI: 12.0, 19.9). Conclusions: The English gonorrhoea epidemic is characterised by spatial-temporal variation. PN success varied between endemic areas and clusters. Greater emphasis should be placed on the role of PN in the control of gonorrhoea to reduce the risk of onward transmission, re-infection, and complications of infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Partner notification services (PNS) are highly effective in reducing transmission of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). We assessed outcomes of PNS before and after integration of an on-site disease intervention specialist (DIS) at a publicly-funded STD clinic. Methods: From August 2014 to December 2015, patients testing positive for infectious syphilis or gonorrhea at the Rhode Island STD Clinic were referred to on-site DIS for partner notification. Data on PNS outcomes were reviewed for eight months before integration of DIS at the clinic and compared to eight months after. Results: Of the 145 index patients referred for PNS during the study period (n = 58 before DIS integration, n = 87 after), 86% were interviewed. DIS integration resulted in a significantly greater proportion of index patients interviewed overall (92% versus 76%, p<0.01), on the day of diagnosis (85% versus 61%; p<0.01), and in person at the STD clinic (64% versus 11%; p<0.01). However, there was no significant difference in number of sexual partners named or treated. Conclusions: Integrating DIS at a publicly-funded STD clinic resulted in a greater number of index cases interviewed, a greater number interviewed in person, and a greater number interviewed on the day of diagnosis. Challenges remain in identifying and engaging partners for treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Partner notification services (PNS) are recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a public health intervention for addressing the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Barriers and facilitators to the partner notification process from a public health perspective have not been well described.Methods: In 2015, a coalition of New England public health STD directors and investigators formed to address the increasing STD prevalence across the region (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont) and to promote communication between state STD programs. To evaluate barriers and facilitators of PNS programs, a survey was administered to representatives from each state to describe PNS processes and approaches.Results: Of the six PNS programs, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire had combined HIV and STD PNS programs; Rhode Island's programs were integrated but employed separate disease intervention specialists (DIS). All states performed PNS for HIV and syphilis. Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont performed services for all gonorrhea cases. Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Massachusetts performed limited partner notification for gonorrhea due to lack of resources. None of the six states routinely provided services for chlamydia, though Maine and Vermont did so for high-priority populations such as HIV co-infected or pregnant individuals. Across all programs, clients received risk reduction counseling and general STD education as a component of PNS, in addition to referrals for HIV/STD care at locations ranging from Planned Parenthood to community- or hospital-based clinics. Notable barriers to successful partner notification across all states included anonymous partners and index cases who did not feel comfortable sharing partners' names with DIS. Other common barriers included insufficient staff, inability of DIS to identify and contact partners, and index cases declining to speak with DIS staff.Conclusions: In New England, state health departments use different strategies to implement PNS programs and referral to STD care. Despite this, similar challenges exist across settings, including difficulty with anonymous partners and limited state resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In Barbados sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV are not notifiable diseases and there is not a formal partner notification (PN) programme. Objectives were to understand likely attitudes, barriers, and challenges to introducing mandatory disease notification (DN) and partner notification (PN) for HIV and other STIs in a small island state. Methods: Six key informants identified study participants. Interviews were conducted, recorded, transcribed and analysed for content using standard methods. Results: Participants (16 males, 13 females, median age 59 years) included physicians, nurses, and representatives from governmental, youth, HIV, men's, women's, church, and private sector organisations. The median estimated acceptability by society of HIV/STI DN on a scale of 1 (unacceptable) to 5 (completely acceptable) was 3. Challenges included; maintaining confidentiality in a small island; public perception that confidentiality was poorly maintained; fear and stigma; testing might be deterred; reporting may not occur; enacting legislation would be difficult; and opposition by some opinion leaders. For PN, contract referral was the most acceptable method and provider referral the least. Contract referral unlike provider referral was not "a total suspension of rights" while taking into account that "people need a little gentle pressure sometimes". Extra counselling would be needed to elicit contacts or to get patients to notify partners. Shame, stigma and discrimination in a small society may make PN unacceptable and deter testing. With patient referral procrastination may occur, and partners may react violently and not come in for care. With provider referral patients may have concerns about confidentiality including neighbours becoming suspicious if a home visit is used as the contact method. Successful contact tracing required time and effort. With contract referral people may neither inform contacts nor say that they did not. Strategies to overcome barriers to DN and PN included public education, enacting appropriate legislation to allow DN and PN, good patient counselling and maintaining confidentiality. Conclusions: There was both concern that mandatory DN and PN would deter testing and recognition of the benefits. Public and practitioner education and enabling legislation would be necessary, and the public needed to be convinced that confidentiality would be maintained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Partner notification (PN) is an essential case-finding tool in the management of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Yet, data on the effectiveness and factors impacting implementation of PN in the Netherlands are lacking. With the aim of further exploring and improving the PN process, the current study assessed perceived barriers and facilitators among health care professionals in the STI clinical setting. In particular, we explored the management of PN in young heterosexual patients diagnosed with Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct). Methods We conducted semi-structured interviews among 22 health care professionals (response rate 52%) from 5 of the 8 national STI clinics in the Netherlands. We carried out qualitative content analysis using a framework approach. All participants were nurses, aged mid 20's to late 50's, and all but one were female. Results All health care professionals felt comfortable discussing PN. Other perceived facilitators for PN included: time, one-on-one consultations, interviewing skills (i.e. Motivational Interviewing) and a proactive helping style. Important barriers were identified as: sub-optimal guidelines, inaccurate sexual history, a lack of feedback regarding the motivational strategies that were used, and the lack of feedback regarding overall PN effectiveness. The health care professionals placed an emphasis on the care and treatment of the individual index patient rather than on discussion of PN, or on motivating and helping patients to engage in PN. Conclusions Health care professionals identified several barriers that need to be overcome, and facilitators which need to be maintained. Future efforts should concentrate on introducing PN protocols, providing feedback on both the effectiveness of strategies used by health care professionals, and on the PN process as a whole, and educating health care professionals about Motivational Interviewing strategies. Moreover, the possible implementation of an Internet-based PN system should be explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the methods to interrupt the transmission of sexually transmitted infections (STI), such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), in Rhode Island. It discusses the transmission of HIV in the island and the epidemiology of STI and HIV. It highlights the implementation of partner notification services targeted at syphilis exposure and HIV exposure. It says that molecular epidemiology in HIV involves the application of statistics and phylogenetics to examine and reconstruct the evolutionary patterns of the virus' genetic sequences.

The article presents a study which evaluates partner treatment that is critical for preventing further transmission of chlamydia infections among women in California family planning clinics. It states that patient-delivered partner therapy (PDPT) has been allowable in the state since 2001 but few data are available regarding PDPT use and treatment outcomes. It also notes that chlamydia is the most common communicable disease in the U.S.

The article focuses on a study regarding the timely notification and treatment of sex partners exposed to a sexually transmitted disease (STD). The study found that in patients with increased self-efficacy who have stronger interpersonal relationships with their sex partners, patient-initiated partner referral is more successful. A baseline interview including questions on demographics, STD history, and partner notification preferences was conducted on enrollment of all participants.

The article presents a study which assesses barriers to HIV testing among patients diagnosed concurrently with HIV and AIDS and health care contacts history. The study surveyed HIV/AIDS patients who had participated in the partner notification program of the New York City Department, between January 2008 to December 2008. It is inferred that a lack of perception risk is the main reason for not testing HIV in diagnosed patients.

The article presents a study which examines the programs for sexually transmitted infections (STI)/HIV partner notification (PN) found in the Internet. The study uses clinic-based surveys before and after feasible clinic interventions, and website statistics from inSPOT Colorado service. The study shows that the recognition and use of inSPOT Colorado service determined in the STI clinic patients were less than 6% although there are existing clinic interventions.

To examine the conditions under which lay people and health professionals living in Chile and France find it acceptable for a physician to break confidentiality to protect the spouse of a patient with a sexually transmitted disease (STD), 207 lay persons and healthcare professionals indicated the acceptability of breaking confidentiality in 48 scenarios combining five factors: disease severity, time taken to discuss this with the patient, patient's intent to inform his spouse about the disease, patient's intent to adopt protective behaviors, and physician's decision to consult an STD expert. A cluster analysis revealed groups that found breaking confidentiality "always acceptable", requiring "consultation with an expert", "depending on the many circumstances", and "never acceptable" (11%)". Despite differences in legislation and ethics codes, Chilean and French lay people showed similar personal convictions regarding the circumstances in which breaking patient confidentiality is acceptable. In contrast, Chilean physicians were much less supportive than French physicians of complete respect of patient confidentiality in all cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study on the efficiency of HIV partner notification (PN) services between Blacks and Hispanics in New York City. It says that 1385 black and Hispanic patients from HIV Field Services Unit (FSU) were interviewed. It tells that stratified analyses were implemented to analyze the role of birth country as confounder as well as logistic regression model to examine the link between race and naming diagnosed partner. Results confirm PN effectivity with slight racial variation.

Background. Partner notification for patients diagnosed with chlamydia is a strategy recommended to interrupt transmission of infection, and patients are commonly encouraged by health practitioners to contact their sexual partners themselves. Few studies, however, have ascertained the psychosocial impact of the chlamydia diagnosis and its effect on partner notification. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article evaluates the Department of Health Internet-based Partner Notification (IPN) program of Washington, D.C. on early syphilis infections. It states that the evaluation makes use of the standard Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Disease Investigation Specialist (DIS) disposition codes. The study shows that 43% of the sex partners that are investigated are via IPN, which leads to an eight percent increase in the overall number of syphilis patients.

The article reports on a randomized trial comparing the effectiveness of three methods of partner notification and treatment for sexual partners of women with vaginal trichomoniasis in Birmingham, Alabama. Female aging 19 and older with a wet prep positive for Trichomonas vaginalis, attending the Jefferson County Department of Health have been the subject of the study. Findings showed that partner-delivered therapy (PDPT) for trichomoniasis has been safe and well accepted in the study.

The article presents a study which describes the partner notification experiences and outcomes among men and women diagnosed with Chlamydia and their views on innovative resources to improve notification rates. It says that the study conducted a telephone survey of men and women diagnosed with Chlamydia in 3 Australian jurisdictions between August 2007 and January 2008. Results indicate that the availability of tailored resources can assist patients with Chlamydia in their personal notification.

The article presents a study which examines an online results system for gonorrhea and Chlamydia test results in an urban sexually transmitted infections (STI) clinic. The study uses the electronic medical records system to test how the results of 9,056 patients were achieved based on the three periods between December 2007 and April 2009. The study shows that the number of patients who received results either online or by telephone are 67% in Period 1, 67% in Period 2, and 70% in Period 3.

The article focuses on the development of a prediction model to maximize the effect of syphilis patients partner notification in San Francisco, California to identify sex partners needing treatment. It states that multivariate analysis is used to randomly show the number of treated patients interviewed from July 2004 to June 2008 on the half of data set. The results showed that 1665 partners in 1340 patient interviews were named and 827 of those were treated.

Background: Partner notification is accepted as a vital component in the control of chlamydia. However, in reality, many sexual partners of individuals diagnosed with chlamydia are never informed of their risk. The newer technologies of email and SMS have been used as a means of improving partner notification rates. This study explored the use and acceptability of different partner notification methods to help inform the development of strategies and resources to increase the number of partners notified. Methods: Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with 40 people who were recently diagnosed with chlamydia from three sexual health centres and two general practices across three Australian jurisdictions. Results: Most participants chose to contact their partners either in person (56%) or by phone (44%). Only 17% chose email or SMS. Participants viewed face-to-face as the "gold standard" in partner notification because it demonstrated caring, respect and courage. Telephone contact, while considered insensitive by some, was often valued because it was quick, convenient and less confronting. Email was often seen as less personal while SMS was generally considered the least acceptable method for telling partners. There was also concern that emails and SMS could be misunderstood, not taken seriously or shown to others. Despite these, email and SMS were seen to be appropriate and useful in some circumstances. Letters, both from the patients or from their doctor, were viewed more favourably but were seldom used. Conclusion: These findings suggest that many people diagnosed with chlamydia are reluctant to use the new technologies for partner notification, except in specific circumstances, and our efforts in developing partner notification resources may best be focused on giving patients the skills and confidence for personal interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Repeated Chlamydia trachomatis infections are common among young sexually active women. The relative frequency of reinfection and antibiotic treatment failure is undefined. Methods. Adolescent women enrolled in a longitudinal cohort had behavioral and sexually transmitted infection assessments performed every 3 months, including amplification tests for C. trachomatis, ompA genotyping, and interviews and diary entries to document sex partner-specific coitus and event-specific condom use. Repeated infections were classified as reinfection or treatment failure by use of an algorithm. All infections for which treatment outcomes were known were used to estimate the effectiveness of antibiotic use. Results. We observed 478 episodes of infection among 210 study participants; 176 women remained uninfected. The incidence rate was 34 episodes/100 woman-years. Of the women who were infected, 121 experienced ≥1 repeated infections, forming 268 episode pairs; 183 pairs had complete data available and were classified using the algorithm. Of the repeated infections, 84.2% were definite, probable, or possible reinfections; 13.7% were probable or possible treatment failures; and 2.2% persisted without documented treatment. For 318 evaluable infections, we estimated 92.2% effectiveness of antibiotic use. Conclusions. Most repeated chlamydial infections in this high-incidence cohort were reinfections, but repeated infections resulting from treatment failures occurred as well. Our results have implications for male screening and partner notification programs and suggest the need for improved antibiotic therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The feasibility and acceptability of partner notification (PN) for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in developing countries was assessed through a comprehensive literature review, to help identify future intervention needs. Methods: The Medline, Embase, and Google Scholar databases were searched to identify studies published between January 1995 and December 2007 on STI PN in developing countries. A systematic review of the research extracted information on: (1) willingness of index patients to notify partners; (2) the proportion of partners notified or referred; (3) client-reported barriers in notifying partners; (4) infrastructure barriers in notifying partners; and (5) PN approaches that were evaluated in developing countries. Results: Out of 609 screened articles, 39 met our criteria. PN outcome varied widely and was implemented more often for spousal partners than for casual or commercial partners. Reported barriers included sociocultural factors such as stigma, fear of abuse for having an STI, and infrastructural factors related to the limited number of STD clinics, and trained providers and reliable diagnostic methods. Client-oriented counselling was found to be effective in improving partner referral outcomes. Conclusions: STD clinics can improve PN with client-oriented counselling, which should help clients to overcome perceived barriers. The authors speculate that well-designed PN interventions to evaluate the impact on STI prevalence and incidence along with cost-effectiveness components will motivate policy makers in developing countries to allocate more resources towards STI management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Prostatitis and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) have been positively associated with prostate cancer in previous case-control studies. However, results from recent prospective studies have been inconclusive. Methodogy/Principal Findings: We investigated the association between prostatitis, STDs, and prostate cancer among African American, Asian American, Latino, and White participants of the California Men's Health Study. Our analysis included 68,675 men, who completed a detailed baseline questionnaire in 2002-2003. We identified 1,658 incident prostate cancer cases during the follow-up period to June 30, 2006. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate relative risks and 95% confidence intervals. Overall, men having a history of prostatitis had an increased risk of prostate cancer than men with no history (RR = 1.30; 95% CI: 1.10-1.54). Longer duration of prostatitis symptoms was also associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer (P trend = 0.003). In addition, among men screened for prostate cancer (1 or 2 PSA tests), a nonsignificant positive association was observed between prostatitis and prostate cancer (RR = 1.10; 95% CI: 0.75-1.63). STDs were not associated with overall prostate cancer risk. In racial/ethnic stratified analysis, Latinos reporting any STDs had an increased risk of disease than those with no STDs (RR = 1.43; 95% CI: 1.07-1.91). Interestingly, foreign-born Latinos displayed a larger risk associated with STDs (RR = 1.87; 95% CI: 1.16-3.02) than U.S. born Latinos (RR = 1.15; 95% CI: 0.76-3.02). Conclusion: In summary, results from this prospective study suggest that prostatitis and STDs may be involved in prostate cancer susceptibility. While we cannot rule out the possible influence of incidental detection, future studies are warranted to further investigate the role of infectious agents related to prostatitis and STDs in prostate cancer development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which explores the resources that could better partner notification for chlamydia in primary care. It centers on 234 general practitioners (GP) across Australia. The study found that 95% of GP notes that it is their obligation to discuss partner notification with patients however, only 45% were certain on how they are going to assist their patient. It concludes that GPs seek wide resources to assist them with notifying patient for notification.

The article presents a study conducted by David A. Katz and Matthew Hobgen, regarding the reliability assessment issue of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) HIV partner notification (PN) and disposition coding of Disease Intervention Specialists (DIS) in the U.S. Accordingly, researchers have used PN interviews and questionnaires to their 136 DIS respondents in order to determine the reliability of CDC HIV partner notification. It notes that these DIS are using seven different codes in order to assess the effectiveness of PN and its result. Moreover, it is reported that CDC HIV PN disposition codes are effective. However, its reliability is less effective when it comes to reported outcomes of the partners under the elicitation of DIS.

The article presents a cross-sectional study which examines current control policies for sexually transmitted disease (STD) in the New York State county health departments. In addition, researchers in this study perspectives from head departments on patient-delivered partner therapy (PDPT) and alternative interventions. It notes that researchers reviewed county websites to assess STD service information provided and then surveyed county STD programs from January to March 2007 by telephone to determine conditions diagnosed and to assess perspectives on PDPT. Researchers found that further research on alternative partner intervention strategies and discussion of PDPT is necessary to develop a forward-thinking strategic plan for STD control in the state.

The article presents a study which examines the pharmacists' perceptions about patient delivered partner therapy (PDPT) in the New York State. In this study, researchers conducted a survey of pharmacists and observed privacy-related spaces in pharmacies in order to determine pharmacists' perceptions about PDPT, education on sexually transmitted infections (STI), and potential barriers that need to be addressed in pharmacies for successful implementation of PDPT. According to the article, researchers conclude that pharmacists are open to considering PDPT as part of their professional functions. Although pharmacists need additional education in STI in general, it notes that capacity for this training can be established.

The article presents a cross-sectional, observational study which evaluates the use of client partner notification (CPN) and health-department partner notification strategies to inform sex partners of possible HIV exposure. In this study, researchers observed 590 persons diagnosed with HIV in the prior six months at 51 HIV test, medical, and research providers in Chicago, Illinois, and Los Angeles, California in 2003 and 2004. In addition, researchers performed logistic regression in order to identify independent correlates of using CPN to notify all locatable partners. According to the article, researchers conclude that many locatable sex partners who might benefit from being notified of potential HIV exposure are not notified.

Objectives. We sought to assess the effectiveness of approaches targeting improved sexually transmitted infection (STI) sexual partner notification through patient referral. Methods. From January 2002 through December 2004, 600 patients with Neisseria gonorrhoeae or Chlamydia trachomatis were recruited from STI clinics and randomly assigned to either a standard-of-care group or a group that was counseled at the time of diagnosis and given additional follow-up contact. Participants completed an interview at baseline, 1 month, and 6 months and were checked at 6 months for gonorrhea or chlamydial infection via nucleic acid amplification testing of urine. Results. Program participants were more likely to report sexual partner notification at 1 month (86% control, 92% intervention; adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.8; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.02, 3.0) and were more likely to report no unprotected sexual intercourse at 6 months (38% control, 48% intervention; AOR= 1.5; 95% Cl =1.1, 2.1). Gonorrhea or chlamydial infection was detected in 6% of intervention and 11% of control participants at follow-up (AOR=2.2; 95% Cl=1.1, 4.1), with greatest benefits seen among men (for gender interaction, P=.03). Conclusions. This patient-based sexual partner notification program can help reduce risks for subsequent STIs among urban, minority patients presenting for care at STI clinics. (Am J Public Health. 2009;99:S104-S110) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. We assessed Boston-area men who have sex with men (MSM) in terms of their knowledge of partner notification (PN)/partner counseling and referral services (PCRS) and intentions to use such services if exposed to! infected with a sexually transmitted disease (STD) or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the future. Methods. The study used a convenience sample of STD clinic patients (n=48) and a modified respondent-driven sampling method (n=70) to\reach a diverse sample of MSM (total sample n=118) in Massachusetts. Participants completed a one-on-one, open-ended, semistructured qualitative interview and quantitative survey. Results. Overall, white, HIV-infected MSM had the highest level of knowledge about PN activities. MSM who were unfamiliar with PN were disproportionately nonwhite and HIV-uninfected. Participants were more likely to notify past partners of HIV exposure than STD exposure. The preferred method of PN for the majority of MSM was direct person-to-person notification. Notably, nonwhite participants were more likely to endorse Massachusetts Department of Public Health PN services than white MSM, who preferred involvement of primary care providers. Conclusions. PN is an important public health strategy for treating and preventing STDs and HIV among at-risk populations, especially MSM who engage in sexual behavior with anonymous or otherwise non-notifiable sexual partners. Although many MSM had an understanding of the ethical desirability of informing exposed partners and recognized the value of preventative behaviors, they require further education to overcome barriers to PN as well as to gain knowledge of the various methods of both traditional and nontraditional notification, such as Internet PN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study regarding an online partner notification website, Let Them Know, which offers e-mail and text message notification services to individuals diagnosed with chlamydia. It mentions that partner notification, in which individuals with a sexually transmitted infection (STI) inform their partners in order for their partner to be treated, is central to chlamydia control. It states that the use of communication technologies such as the Internet is an effective notification tool.

The article offers a comparison of the effectiveness between expedited partner therapy (EPT) and patient referral in patients with sexually transmitted infection. Treatment success can be measured by the reduction of recurrence of infection, which include chlamydia, gonorrhea and trichomoniasis. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) found that EPT had lower rate of recurrence or persistent infections. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) review of EPT is also mentioned.

Background: This article will review qualitative data from intervention-based counselling sessions to explore barriers to partner notification (PN) for South African men and women who have contracted sexually transmitted infections (STIs). This qualitative study took place in a township where there is high STI and HIV prevalence. In addition to reviewing barriers to PN, the study will also identify participants' perceptions about effective PN strategies that are presented during the intervention. Ultimately, the study will assess the intervention's impact on participants' motivation and skills to notify their partners about their STI status.Methods: Relying on recorded counselling sessions from an intervention run by a parent study, this sub- study reviewed 30 transcripts from counselling sessions with 15 men and 15 women. The intervention was a 60 min interactive session where STI and HIV education, risk mitigation, and effective PN strategies were discussed. Participants were between 19 and 41 years old (mean age = 28.4) and lived within the catchment area of a South African township. Recordings were chosen based on verbal responsiveness of the participant and were manually coded for analysis. In addition, two programme counsellors were interviewed about their perceptions of the intervention and their experiences with participants to enhance rigour and reduce potential bias.Results: By the conclusion of the intervention session, both male and female participants were motivated to notify their partners face-to-face about their positive STI status. Despite this, misperceptions about the etiology and transmission of STIs, as well as inadequate support from the clinical level and power imbalances amongst men and women emerged as major barriers for the prevention of future STIs.Conclusions: While the intervention appears to be successful in facilitating partners' intentions to notify, the data shows significant social and structural barriers that will create difficulties for the prevention of future STIs. Participants' persistent concerns about acquiring HIV or their current positive status affect decision-making and therefore, could be a window of opportunity for health-care providers or lay counsellors to discuss STIs in high prevalence areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author reflects on the effectiveness and reliability issues of HIV partner notification (PN). The author reacts on the laissez-faire HIV partner notification (PN), due to lack of relevant information from sex partners. The author cites the research conducted by David A. Katz and his colleagues on the verification issues of the disease intervention specialists' (DIS) code results.

The article discusses the increasing incidence of gonorrhea in Montana counties associated with American Indian reservations during the January 2012 to August 2014 period. Topics explored include the gonorrhea cases recorded by the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, the gonorrhea treatment recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the improvement of sexually transmitted disease (STD) testing practices by the Indian Health Service (IHS).