AN EVALUATION OF PARTNER NOTIFICATION FOR HIV-INFECTION IN GENITOURINARY MEDICINE CLINICS IN ENGLAND

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of a standard ized HIV partner notification programme within genitourinary medicine clinics in England. Design: A prospective survey of HIV partner notifi cation activity over a 12-month period. Setting: Nineteen genitourinar y medicine clinics in England. Patients and participants: A total of 5 01 eligible HIV-positive patients (either newly diagnosed or with whom partner notification had not been undertaken previously) seen during the study period. Main outcome measures: The numbers of partners named by patients, and the number of contacts notified, counselled and HIV- tested. Results: Information on overall partner notification activity was obtained by reviewing available medical records of 471 patients; 3 53 (75%) had discussed partner notification with a health-care worker during the study period and 197 (42%) had undertaken partner notificat ion. Detailed information on outcomes was obtained for only 70 patient s who named 158 contacts as being at risk of acquiring HIV. Although 7 1 (45%) contacts were eventually notified, only 28 were subsequently s een in participating clinics. Almost all contacts (n = 27) requested H IV counselling and testing, and five were diagnosed HIV-positive. Pati ent referral was the most popular notification method chosen. Conclusi ons: This study illustrates some of the practical difficulties that li mit HIV partner notification within genitourinary medicine clinics. Th ese include health-care workers' misgivings about undertaking partner notification, insufficient locating information to identify contacts, and migration of newly diagnosed patients, which prevents continuity a nd completion of notification. Nevertheless, HIV partner notification uncovered previously undiagnosed HIV infections. Further work needs to be undertaken in staff training and policy implementation if higher r ates of partner notification and outcome measurements are to be achiev ed.