Partner notification interviews can they be done by

Partner notification interviews: can they be done by telephone for patients diagnosed in the community? Gill Bell Nurse Consultant Sexual Health Adviser Sheffield

Background n n PN interviews traditionally face to face with a sexual health adviser in GUM Increased STI screening outside GUM High cost of trained interviewers in all testing sites Telephone management feasible?

Potential problems n n More difficult to engage / negotiate over the phone Time constraints Lack of privacy No body language

Method Comparison of outcomes of PN for chlamydia: 1. Chlamydia Screening Programme positives Sept 2004 –May 2005 first interviewed by telephone 2. GUM cases chlamydia < 25 s Number / gender matched September 2004 – March 2005 first interviewed face to face.

Results Number verified screened contacts per case CSP Sept 04 – May 05 GUM Sept o 4 – March 05 BASHH National standard (Provincial) 0. 82 0. 85 0. 6 231/281 240/281

Results Number new positives traced per case CSP Sept 04 – May 05 GUM Sept 04 – March 05 89/281 84/281 0. 32 0. 30

Results Number of index patients interviewed to identify new case CSP Sept 04 – May 05 GUM Sept 04 March 05 277/89 273/84 3. 1 3. 3

Conclusion n n Telephone PN can be as effective as face to face interviews Reproducible with other interviewers? Sustainable over time? Patient perspective? Adequate for health promotion / patient support?