The right thing to do: patients' views and experiences of telling partners about chlamydia.
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.


METHODS
In-depth telephone interviews were conducted with 25 women and 15 men aged 18-55 years, diagnosed with chlamydia from clinics in Victoria, Australian Capital Territory and Queensland. Reactions to chlamydia diagnosis, as well as reasons for, and feelings about, telling their sexual partners about this infection were explored.


RESULTS
Common reactions to initial diagnosis were surprise, shock and shame. The majority of both men and women saw partner notification as a social duty. Some cited concerns about their own health and the health of others as a reason for telling partners and ex-partners about the diagnosis. An infrequent reason offered for partner notification was to confront a partner to clarify fidelity. Reasons for not contacting a partner were typically fear of reaction or a lack of contact details. Although participants reported sexual partners exhibiting a variety of reactions when told of the diagnosis, results showed that for almost everyone, the experience of notifying their partner was better than they had expected.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings suggested that partner notification by people diagnosed with chlamydia is achievable but that many require support from their health practitioner to achieve the skills and confidence necessary during this difficult time.
Temple-Smith
Meredith
M
Primary Care Research Unit, Department of General Practice, The University of Melbourne, Carlton, Victoria, Australia. m.temple-smith@unimelb.edu.au
Hopkins
Carol
C
Fairley
Christopher
C
Tomnay
Jane
J
Pavlin
Natasha
N
Parker
Rhian
R
Russell
Darren
D
Bowden
Frank
F
Hocking
Jane
J
Pitts
Marian
M
Chen
Marcus
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001315:Australia; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology* / Q000635:transmission; D016358:Contact Tracing; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology; D014342:Truth Disclosure; D055815:Young Adult
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents