title: Partner notification of sexually transmitted diseases: practices and preferences.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Timely notification and treatment of sex partners exposed to a sexually transmitted disease (STD) is essential to reduce reinfection and transmission. Our objectives were to determine factors associated with patient-initiated notification of sex partners and preferences regarding standard partner referral versus expedited partner therapy (EPT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants diagnosed with gonorrhea, chlamydia, trichomoniasis, or nongonococcal urethritis within the previous year were administered a baseline survey asking about demographics, sexual history, and partner treatment preferences (standard partner referral vs. EPT). They identified up to 4 sex partners within the past 2 months, and answered questions on relationship characteristics, quality, and notification self-efficacy. At follow-up, participants with a current STD were asked whether they notified their partners. Generalized estimating equations were used to evaluate the associations between predictor variables and partner notification.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 201 subjects enrolled, 157 had a current STD diagnosis, and 289 sex partners were identified. The rate of successful partner notification was 77.3% (157/203 sex partners). Partner notification was increased if the subject had a long-term relationship with a sex partner (odds ratio: 3.07; 95% confidence interval: 1.43, 6.58), considered the partner to be a main partner (odds ratio: 2.53; 95% confidence interval: 1.43, 6.58), or had increased notification self-efficacy. Overall, participants did not prefer EPT over standard referral; however, females, those with higher education levels, and those with a prior STD preferred EPT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patient-initiated partner referral is more successful in patients with increased self-efficacy who have stronger interpersonal relationships with their sex partners.
authors.affiliation: Magee-Womens Research Institute, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
authors.forename: Priya R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Gursahaney
authors.forename: Kwonho
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Bruce W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Dixon
authors.forename: Harold C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Wiesenfeld
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission*; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016358:Contact Tracing / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006069:Gonorrhea / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009344:Neisseria gonorrhoeae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D057240:Patient Preference; D010414:Pennsylvania; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012747:Sexual Partners; D014245:Trichomonas Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission*; D014246:Trichomonas vaginalis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014526:Urethritis / Q000175:diagnosis; D055815:Young Adult