A SURVEY OF PUBLIC-HEALTH PARTNER NOTIFICATION FOR SEXUALLY-TRANSMITTED DISEASES IN CANADA

Objective: To describe the range of practice for sexually transmitted disease (STD) contact tracing/partner notification (PN) by public heal th agencies in Canada. Methods: A two-level mailed survey, using two d ifferent questionnaires, was conducted from Aug. 1991 to Feb. 1992, di rected to: 1) provincial and territorial epidemiologists/directors of STD control, asking about program organization; and 2) 154 local healt h units/provincially run PN programs, asking about practice patterns o f STD partner notification. Conclusions: In Canada, STD PN by public h ealth agencies is routinely practised in most provinces. PN efforts va ry by the STD; less PN effort goes to chlamydia despite a high burden of illness; HIV PN is frequently perceived to be within the responsibi lity of the physician. For STDs with higher PN effort, the preferred m ethod is provider referral. Targeting is seldom utilized, and there ar e little available data at a local level monitoring even process measu res of effectiveness.