Physicians' opinions about partner notification methods: case reporting, patient referral, and provider referral.
BACKGROUND
The United States has relied upon partner notification strategies to help break the chain of infection and re-infection for sexually transmitted diseases (STD). Physicians are a vital link in the system of STD control, but little is known of physician opinions about partner notification strategies.


METHODS
We collected opinions about partner notification from a national probability sample of physicians in specialties diagnosing STDs. Physicians responded to 17 questions about three relevant forms of STD partner notification: patient based referral, provider based referral, and case reporting.


RESULTS
Exploratory factor analyses showed that responses for each form of partner notification could be grouped into four categories: perceived practice norms, infection control, patient relationships, and time/money. Multivariate analyses of the factors showed that physicians endorsed patient based referral most favourably and provider based referral least favourably.


CONCLUSIONS
Physicians' opinions about partner notification strategies appear to reflect objective reality in some areas, but not in others. Strategies that improve the fit between physicians' opinions and effective notification are needed: some are discussed here.
Hogben
M
M
Division of STD Prevention, Centers for Disease Seattle, WA, USA. mhogben@cdc.gov
St Lawrence
J S
JS
Montaño
D E
DE
Kasprzyk
D
D
Leichliter
J S
JS
Phillips
W R
WR
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D016358:Contact Tracing; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission