Increasing public health partner services for human immunodeficiency virus: results of a second national survey.
BACKGROUND
Recent US national efforts taken to prevent human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection have emphasized HIV case-finding, including partner services (PS).


METHODS
We collected data on HIV PS procedures and outcomes in 2006 from health departments in US metropolitan areas with the highest number of cases of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, gonorrhea, chlamydial infection, and primary and secondary syphilis, and compared our results with the data collected through a similar study carried out in 2001.


RESULTS
Of the 71 eligible jurisdictions, 51 (72%) participated in this study. In 2006, health departments interviewed 11,270 (43%) of the 26,185 persons with newly reported HIV, which was an increase from the 32% reported in 2001 (P < 0.01). Among 10,498 potentially exposed partners, 2228 (21%) had been previously diagnosed with HIV, 803 (8%) were newly HIV-diagnosed, 3337 (32%) tested HIV-negative, and 4130 (39%) were not successfully notified, were notified but refused HIV testing and denied previous diagnosis, or did not have an outcome recorded. Combining data from all jurisdictions, public health staff needed to interview 13.6 persons with HIV to identify one new case of infection; this number was unchanged from 2001 (13.8; P = 0.75).


CONCLUSIONS
In the United States, the proportion of persons diagnosed with HIV receiving PS has increased since 2001, whereas HIV case-finding yields have remained stable. Despite this, most people newly diagnosed with HIV still do not receive PS.
Katz
David A
DA
Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. dkatz7@u.washington.edu
Hogben
Matthew
M
Dooley
Samuel W
SW
Golden
Matthew R
MR
D016358:Contact Tracing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy / Q000635:transmission; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006296:Health Services; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D011634:Public Health; D012747:Sexual Partners; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy / Q000635:transmission; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States