A survey of patients with Chlamydia trachomatis infection: sexual behaviour and perceptions about contact tracing

The aim of this study was to evaluate how patients with Chlamydia trachomat is infection perceived the legal enforcement of partner notification and to seek their views on legislation impinging on their own sexual behaviour. T he investigation was performed at STD clinics in Stockholm, Sweden in 1997. Consecutive patients (n=192) answered a questionnaire about sexual behavio ur and contact tracing. More men (40%) than women (21%) had had sexual inte rcourse during the past 6 months with an occasional partner. The mean numbe r (6 months prior to this) was 2.3 partners (1-15) for men and 2.2 partners (1-21) for women. Eighteen per cent admitted to having avoided disclosing the name of their partner(s). Ninety per cent considered it beneficial that chlamydial infection was regulated and that a named partner could be force d to undergo STD testing. Partly based on this report, the government has r ecommended police enforcement to be removed from the legislation as a tool for contact tracing in chlamydial infections.