title: Developing and testing accelerated partner therapy for partner notification for people with genital Chlamydia trachomatis diagnosed in primary care: a pilot randomised controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Accelerated partner therapy (APT) is a promising partner notification (PN) intervention in specialist sexual health clinic attenders. To address its applicability in primary care, we undertook a pilot randomised controlled trial (RCT) of two APT models in community settings.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three-arm pilot RCT of two adjunct APT interventions: APTHotline (telephone assessment of partner(s) plus standard PN) and APTPharmacy (community pharmacist assessment of partner(s) plus routine PN), versus standard PN alone (patient referral). Index patients were women diagnosed with genital chlamydia in 12 general practices and three community contraception and sexual health (CASH) services in London and south coast of England, randomised between 1 September 2011 and 31 July 2013.
  
  
  RESULTS
  199 women described 339 male partners, of whom 313 were reported by the index as contactable. The proportions of contactable partners considered treated within 6 weeks of index diagnosis were APTHotline 39/111 (35%), APTPharmacy 46/100 (46%), standard patient referral 46/102 (45%). Among treated partners, 8/39 (21%) in APTHotline arm were treated via hotline and 14/46 (30%) in APTPharmacy arm were treated via pharmacy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The two novel primary care APT models were acceptable, feasible, compliant with regulations and capable of achieving acceptable outcomes within a pilot RCT but intervention uptake was low. Although addition of these interventions to standard PN did not result in a difference between arms, overall PN uptake was higher than previously reported in similar settings, probably as a result of introducing a formal evaluation. Recruitment to an individually randomised trial proved challenging and full evaluation will likely require service-level randomisation.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Registered UK Clinical Research Network Study Portfolio id number 10123.
authors.affiliation: Blizard Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine & Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Claudia S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Estcourt
authors.affiliation: Blizard Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine & Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Lorna J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Sutcliffe
authors.affiliation: Research Department of Infection & Population Health, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Copas
authors.affiliation: Research Department of Infection & Population Health, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Catherine H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Mercer
authors.affiliation: Health Economics Unit, School of Population and Health Sciences, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: Tracy E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.affiliation: Health Economics Unit, School of Population and Health Sciences, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: Louise J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.affiliation: Blizard Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine & Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Merle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Symonds
authors.affiliation: Barts Sexual Health Centre, St Bartholomew's Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tickle
authors.affiliation: Research Department of Infection & Population Health, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Pamela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Muniina
authors.affiliation: Research Department of Infection & Population Health, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Greta
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rait
authors.affiliation: Research Department of Infection & Population Health, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Anne M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.affiliation: Department of Sexual Health, Eastbourne District General Hospital, East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, Eastbourne, UK.
authors.forename: Kazeem
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Aderogba
authors.affiliation: Homerton Sexual Health Services, Homerton Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Creighton
authors.affiliation: Division of Primary Care & Public Health, Brighton & Sussex Medical School, University of Brighton, Brighton, UK.
authors.forename: Jackie A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Cassell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016358:Contact Tracing / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods; D016730:Program Development; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012747:Sexual Partners
keywords: CHLAMYDIA TRACHOMATIS; CLINICAL STI CARE; COMPEX INTERVENTIONS; PARTNER NOTIFICATION; PRIMARY CARE