title: Assessing the role of prevention partnerships in STD prevention: a review of comprehensive STD prevention systems progress reports.
abstract: Systematic analysis of STD programme data contributes to a national portrait of sexually transmitted disease (STD) prevention activities, including research and evaluation specifically designed to optimise programme efficiency and impact. We analysed the narrative of the 2009 annual progress reports of the US Comprehensive STD Prevention Systems cooperative agreement for 58 STD programmes, concentrating on programme characteristics and partnerships. Programmes described 516 unique partnerships with a median of seven organisations cited per STD programme. Non-profit organisations (including service providers) were most frequently cited. Higher gonorrhoea morbidity was associated with reporting more partnerships; budget problems were associated with reporting fewer. Challenges to engaging in partnerships included budget constraints, staff turnover and low interest. Data provide a source of information for judging progress in programme collaboration and for informing a sustained programme-focused research and evaluation agenda.
authors.affiliation: Division of STD Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, , Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hogben
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hood
authors.forename: Dayne
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McFarlane
mesh_terms: D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D006298:Health Services Administration / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014481:United States
keywords: Programme Science; Public Health; Service Delivery