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To notify or not to notify: STD patients' perspectives of partner
notification in Seattle.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases 2000;27(4):193-200.
PM Gorbach, SO Aral, C Celum, BP Stoner, WLH Whittington, J Galea, N Coronado,
S Connor, KK Holmes.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: To obtain patients' perspectives on why only some
partners are notified in partner-notification programs, the cornerstone of
sexually transmitted disease (STD) control, although low proportions of partners
are located and evaluated. GOALS: To describe patterns of partner notification
reported by persons with STD infection. STUDY DESIGN: In-depth interviews
conducted in Seattle with 60 heterosexual men and women with gonorrhea, chlamydial
infection, or nongonoccocal urethritis, and 19 men with gonorrhea reporting
sex with men (MSM) were tape recorded, transcribed verbatim, and content
analyzed. RESULTS: The typical notification pattern was to notify a main
partner but not others. Least likely to be notified were partners perceived
as transmitters, contacts preceding the onset of symptoms, the oral sex and
anonymous contacts of MSM, one-time partners of men, and incarcerated and
former partners of women. Fears among young heterosexual participants included
gossip and violence (women). Fears among MSM included rejection. CONCLUSIONS:
Partner-notification programs should develop innovative approaches for partners
perceived as transmitters, oral-sex only contacts of MSM, and contacts preceding
symptom onset.