Better than nothing? Patient-delivered partner therapy and partner notification for chlamydia: the views of Australian general practitioners
Open accessAbstract
BACKGROUND: Genital chlamydia is the most commonly notified sexually transmissible infection (STI) in Australia and worldwide and can have serious reproductive health outcomes. Partner notification, testing and treatment are important facets of chlamydia control. Traditional methods of partner notification are not reaching enough partners to effectively control transmission of chlamydia. Patient-delivered partner therapy (PDPT) has been shown to improve the treatment of sexual partners. In Australia, General Practitioners (GPs) are responsible for the bulk of chlamydia testing, diagnosis, treatment and follow up. This study aimed to determine the views and practices of Australian general practitioners (GPs) in relation to partner notification and PDPT for chlamydia and explored GPs' perceptions of their patients' barriers to notifying partners of a chlamydia diagnosis. METHODS: In-depth, semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with 40 general practitioners (GPs) from rural, regional and urban Australia from November 2006 to March 2007. Topics covered: GPs' current practice and views about partner notification, perceived barriers and useful supports, previous use of and views regarding PDPT.Transcripts were imported into NVivo7 and subjected to thematic analysis. Data saturation was reached after 32 interviews had been completed. RESULTS: Perceived barriers to patients telling partners (patient referral) included: stigma; age and cultural background; casual or long-term relationship, ongoing relationship or not. Barriers to GPs undertaking partner notification (provider referral) included: lack of time and staff; lack of contact details; uncertainty about the legality of contacting partners and whether this constitutes breach of patient confidentiality; and feeling both personally uncomfortable and inadequately trained to contact someone who is not their patient. GPs were divided on the use of PDPT--many felt concerned that it is not best clinical practice but many also felt that it is better than nothing.GPs identified the following factors which they considered would facilitate partner notification: clear clinical guidelines; a legal framework around partner notification; a formal chlamydia screening program; financial incentives; education and practical support for health professionals, and raising awareness of chlamydia in the community, in particular amongst young people. CONCLUSIONS: GPs reported some partners do not seek medical treatment even after they are notified of being a sexual contact of a patient with chlamydia. More routine use of PDPT may help address this issue however GPs in this study had negative attitudes to the use of PDPT. Appropriate guidelines and legislation may make the use of PDPT more acceptable to Australian GPs.
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
Patients noted that they were more likely to notify current partners.
“Patients noted that they were more likely to notify current partners (127, 134, 135, 141, 142, 147, 149-151, 159, 161, 165, 167).”
From Updated recommendations for the treatment of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, and Treponema pallidum (syphilis) and new recommendations on syphilis testing and partner services (2024) · cites this paper as [135]
The Results section, “Barriers to partner notification and treatment” (page unavailable), reports GPs’ views that whether a relationship is ongoing affects notification; one GP thought patients would be reluctant to contact former partners. This is consistent with current partners being more likely to be notified, but the paper interviewed GPs, not patients, and does not report patients saying so. (LLM, conf=0.84)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredHealth workers indicated that to deliver services effectively they would need support, including training, data management tools, funding, more staff time, and supportive policies.
“Health workers also indicated that to deliver services effectively they would need support, including training, data management tools, funding, more staff time allocated to complete certain tasks, and supportive policies (124, 127, 132-139).”
From Updated recommendations for the treatment of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, and Treponema pallidum (syphilis) and new recommendations on syphilis testing and partner services (2024) · cites this paper as [135]
The Results sections on facilitators and barriers report that Australian GPs wanted education, practical support, clear guidelines, a legal framework and financial incentives, and identified insufficient time and staff as barriers to partner notification. The paper does not specifically identify data management tools or general funding as requested support; its findings also concern GPs providing chlamydia partner-notification services, rather than health workers and services generally. (LLM, conf=0.86)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Cites
Readme First for a User's Guide to Qualitative Methods
Richards, L., & Morse, J. M. (2013) · Sage eBooks · doi:10.4135/9781071909898 · Cited by 3,007 · see citing works
Peipert, J. F. (2003) · New England Journal of Medicine · doi:10.1056/nejmcp030542 · Cited by 382 · see citing works
Global control of sexually transmitted infections
Low, N. N., Broutet, N. J. N., Adu‐Sarkodie, Y., Barton, P. M., Hossain, M., & Hawkes, S. (2006) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(06)69482-8 · Cited by 280 · see citing works
SCHILLINGER, J. A., KISSINGER, P., CALVET, H., WHITTINGTON, W. L. H., RANSOM, R. L., STERNBERG, M. R., BERMAN, S. M., KENT, C. K., MARTIN, D. H., OH, M. K., et al. (2003) · Sexually Transmitted Diseases · doi:10.1097/00007435-200301000-00011 · Cited by 251 · see citing works
Trelle, S., Shang, A., Nartey, L., Cassell, J. A., & Low, N. (2007) · BMJ · doi:10.1136/bmj.39079.460741.7c · Cited by 199 · see citing works
Patient-delivered partner treatment for male urethritis: a randomized, controlled trial.
Kissinger, P., Mohammed, H., Richardson-Alston, G., Leichliter, J. S., Taylor, S. N., Martin, D. H., & Farley, T. A. (2005) · Clinical Infectious Diseases · doi:10.1086/432476 · Cited by 174 · see citing works
Ahuja, M. (2009) · Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) Ltd. eBooks · doi:10.5005/jp/books/11090_33 · Cited by 123 · see citing works
Hocking, J. S., Parker, R., Pavlin, N. L., Fairley, C. K., & Gunn, J. M. (2008) · BMC Public Health · doi:10.1186/1471-2458-8-425 · Cited by 62 · see citing works
Self-citationBilardi, J., Fairley, C. K., Hopkins, C. A., Hocking, J. S., Temple-Smith, M. J., Bowden, F. J., Russell, D. B., Pitts, M. K., Tomnay, J. E., Parker, R., et al. (2010) · Sexually Transmitted Diseases · doi:10.1097/olq.0b013e3181d012e0 · Cited by 47 · see citing works
Self-citationGolden, M. R., Hughes, J. P., Brewer, D. D., Holmes, K. K., Whittington, W. L. H., Hogben, M., Malinski, C., GOLDING, A., & Handsfield, H. H. (2007) · Sexually Transmitted Diseases · doi:10.1097/01.olq.0000258319.54316.06 · Cited by 46 · see citing works
Expedited Partner Therapy: A Robust Intervention
Shiely, F., Hayes, K., Thomas, K. K., Kerani, R. P., Hughes, J. P., Whittington, W. L. H., Holmes, K. K., Handsfield, H. H., Hogben, M., & Golden, M. R. (2010) · Sexually Transmitted Diseases · doi:10.1097/olq.0b013e3181e1a296 · Cited by 43 · see citing works
Innovative Resources Could Help Improve Partner Notification for Chlamydia in Primary Care
Bilardi, J., Hopkins, C. A., Fairley, C. K., Hocking, J. S., Tomnay, J. E., Pavlin, N. L., Parker, R., Temple-Smith, M. J., Bowden, F. J., Russell, D. B., et al. (2009) · Sexually Transmitted Diseases · doi:10.1097/olq.0b013e3181b357f6 · Cited by 25 · see citing works
Self-citationCameron, S., Melvin, L., Glasier, A., Scott, G. R., Johnstone, A., & Young, H. (2007) · BJOG An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology · doi:10.1111/j.1471-0528.2007.01506.x · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Bauer, H. M., Wohlfeiler, D., Klausner, J. D., Guerry, S. L., Gunn, R. A., & BOLAN, G. A. (2008) · Sexually Transmitted Diseases · doi:10.1097/olq.0b013e31815b0158 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
Mohammed, H. P., Leichliter, J. S., Schmidt, N., Farley, T. A., & KISSINGER, P. J. (2010) · AIDS Patient Care and STDs · doi:10.1089/apc.2009.0237 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
Patient-delivered partner therapy in the UK: what do the professionals think?
Shivasankar, S., & Challenor, R. (2008) · International Journal of STD & AIDS · doi:10.1258/ijsa.2008.008003 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
Patient delivered partner therapy for chlamydial infection—what would be missed?
McNulty, A., Teh, M. F., & Freedman, E. (2008) · Sexually Transmitted Diseases · doi:10.1097/olq.0b013e3181761993 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
Tomnay, J. E., Gebert, R. L., & Fairley, C. K. (2006) · Sexual Health · doi:10.1071/sh05052 · Cited by 14 · see citing works
Self-citationBaird, A. S., Olarinde, O., & Talbot, M. D. (2007) · Sexual Health · doi:10.1071/sh07048 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
Innovations in sexually transmitted disease partner services
Hogben, M., & Niccolai, L. M. (2009) · Current Infectious Disease Reports · doi:10.1007/s11908-009-0022-6 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
Heal, C. F., & Muller, R. (2008) · Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health · doi:10.1111/j.1753-6405.2008.00256.x · Cited by 12 · see citing works
How many cases of chlamydial infection would we miss by not testing partners for infection?
Forbes, G., & Clutterbuck, D. (2009) · International Journal of STD & AIDS · doi:10.1258/ijsa.2008.008387 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Patient‐delivered partner therapy for chlamydia—a realistic public health measure in the UK
Cameron, S. (2009) · BJOG An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology · doi:10.1111/j.1471-0528.2008.01971.x · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Sexually transmitted infections: challenges ahead
Unemo, M., Bradshaw, C. S., Hocking, J. S., de Vries, H. J. C., Francis, S. C., Mabey, D. C. W., Marrazzo, J. M., Sonder, G. J. B., Schwebke, J. R., Hoornenborg, E., et al. (2017) · The Lancet Infectious Diseases · doi:10.1016/s1473-3099(17)30310-9 · Cited by 752 · see citing works
Self-citation2015 European guideline on the management of Chlamydia trachomatis infections
Lanjouw, E., Ouburg, S., de Vries, H., Stary, A., Radcliffe, K. W., & Unemo, M. (2015) · International Journal of STD & AIDS · doi:10.1177/0956462415618837 · Cited by 325 · see citing works
Missed opportunities—low levels of chlamydia retesting at Australian general practices, 2008–2009
Bowring, A. L., Gouillou, M., Guy, R., Kong, F. Y. S., Hocking, J. S., Pirotta, M. V., Heal, C. F., Brett, T., Donovan, B. J., & Hellard, M. E. (2012) · Sexually Transmitted Infections · doi:10.1136/sextrans-2011-050422 · Cited by 32 · see citing works
Self-citationReed, J. L., Huppert, J. S., Gillespie, G. L., Taylor, R. G., Holland, C. K., Alessandrini, E. A., & Kahn, J. A. (2015) · Academic Emergency Medicine · doi:10.1111/acem.12557 · Cited by 29 · see citing works
Lanjouw, E., Ouburg, S., de Vries, H., Stary, A., Radcliffe, K. W., & Unemo, M. (2015) · International Journal of STD & AIDS · doi:10.1177/0956462415618838 · Cited by 27 · see citing works
Gannon-Loew, K. E., Holland-Hall, C. M., & Bonny, A. E. (2017) · Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology · doi:10.1016/j.jpag.2017.01.012 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
Rosenfeld, E. A., Marx, J., Terry, M. A., Stall, R., Pallatino, C., & Miller, E. (2015) · Sexually Transmitted Infections · doi:10.1136/sextrans-2014-051873 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
Theunissen, K. A., Schipper, P., Hoebe, C. J., Crutzen, R., Kok, G., & Dukers-Muijrers, N. H. (2014) · BMC Health Services Research · doi:10.1186/s12913-014-0647-5 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
Barriers to the implementation of expedited partner therapy
Golden, M. R., & Estcourt, C. S. (2011) · Sexually Transmitted Infections · doi:10.1136/sti.2010.047670 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
Wood, J. M., Harries, J., Kalichman, M. O., Kalichman, S. C., Nkoko, K., & Mathews, C. (2018) · BMC Public Health · doi:10.1186/s12889-018-5909-4 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
Huffam, S., Chow, E. P. F., Fairley, C. K., Hocking, J. S., Peel, J., & Chen, M. Y. (2015) · Sexually Transmitted Infections · doi:10.1136/sextrans-2015-052068 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
Self-citationMatoga, M., Mmodzi, P., Massa, C., Bula, A. K., Hosseinipour, M. C., & Chasela, C. (2018) · Journal of Infectious Diseases and Medicine · doi:10.4172/2576-1420.1000125 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Wood, H., Hall, C., Ioppolo, E., Ioppolo, R., Scacchia, E., Clifford, R., & Gudka, S. (2018) · Pharmacy · doi:10.3390/pharmacy6010017 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Nanhoe, A. C., Visser, M., Omlo, J., Watzeels, A., van den Broek, I. V., & Götz, H. M. (2018) · BMC Infectious Diseases · doi:10.1186/s12879-018-3139-0 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
Lorch, R., Bourne, C., Burton, L., Lewis, L., Brown, K., Bateson, D. J., Knight, V. M., Ooi, C., Hoffman, N., Mackson, J. M., et al. (2019) · Sexual Health · doi:10.1071/sh18169 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
Satheeshkumar, P. S., & Mohan, M. P. (2021) · Clinical Oral Investigations · doi:10.1007/s00784-021-04106-0 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Patient-delivered partner therapy for chlamydia in Australia: can it become part of routine care?
Goller, J. L., Coombe, J., Bourne, C., Bateson, D. J., Temple-Smith, M. J., Tomnay, J. E., Vaisey, A., Chen, M. Y., O’Donnell, H., Groos, A. D., et al. (2020) · Sexual Health · doi:10.1071/sh20024 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Self-citationContact tracing using provider referral: how difficult is it?
McCann, L., Allan, W., Read, P. J., & McNulty, A. M. (2013) · Sexual Health · doi:10.1071/sh13085 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Goller, J. L., Coombe, J., Bittleston, H., Bourne, C., Bateson, D. J., Vaisey, A., Tomnay, J. E., O'Donnell, H., Garret, C., Estcourt, C. S., et al. (2021) · Sexually Transmitted Infections · doi:10.1136/sextrans-2020-054933 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Self-citationStaff views of an opportunistic chlamydia testing pilot in a primary health organisation
McKernon, S., & Azariah, S. (2013) · Journal of Primary Health Care · doi:10.1071/hc13283 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Accelerated partner therapy: a promising new partner treatment option
Dombrowski, J. C., & Golden, M. R. (2012) · Sexually Transmitted Infections · doi:10.1136/sextrans-2011-050377 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
van den Broek, I. V. F., Donker, G., Hek, K., van Bergen, J. E. A. M., BENTHEM, B. H. B. V., & Götz, H. M. (2017) · BMC Family Practice · doi:10.1186/s12875-017-0676-3 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Facilitators and Barriers to Expedited Partner Therapy: Results From a Survey of Family Physicians
Wong, J., Zakher, B., Consolacion, T. B., Leong, J., Choi, A., Prescott, C., Ng, B., Pawa, J., & Campbell, A. (2020) · Sexually Transmitted Diseases · doi:10.1097/olq.0000000000001203 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Layton, E., Vaisey, A., Goller, J. L., Coombe, J., Temple-Smith, M. J., & Hocking, J. S. (2020) · Sexually Transmitted Diseases · doi:10.1097/olq.0000000000001260 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Self-citationCoombe, J., Goller, J. L., Bittleston, H., Bateson, D. J., Bourne, C., O'Donnell, H., Tomnay, J. E., Temple-Smith, M. J., & Hocking, J. S. (2022) · Australian Journal of General Practice · doi:10.31128/ajgp-07-21-6066 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Self-citationLayton, E., Goller, J. L., Coombe, J., Temple-Smith, M. J., Tomnay, J. E., Vaisey, A., & Hocking, J. S. (2021) · Sexually Transmitted Infections · doi:10.1136/sextrans-2020-054820 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Self-citationBarani, S., Jahan, N., Karuppiah, M., Chaudhuri, S., Raju, M., Ponnaiah, M., Swaminathan, R., Vaidhyalingam, V., Ganeshkumar, P., Kumar, C. P. G., et al. (2021) · Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health · doi:10.1016/j.cegh.2021.100889 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Woodward, S. C., Tyson, H. A., & Martin, S. (2020) · Sexual Health · doi:10.1071/sh20094 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Taylor, C. M., Ratnayake, A., Lederer, A. M., Gomes, G. R., He, H., & KISSINGER, P. J. (2024) · Journal of Adolescent Health · doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2024.06.008 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Munari, S. C., Coombe, J., Bittleston, H., Temple-Smith, M. J., Fairley, C. K., Bateson, D. J., Hellard, M. E., Goller, J. L., Hocking, J. S., & on behalf of the MoCCA Investigators (2025) · Australian Journal of Primary Health · doi:10.1071/py24179 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Self-citationWarda, C., Bittleston, H., Coombe, J., O’Donnell, H., Hocking, J. S., & Goller, J. L. (2024) · Sexual Health · doi:10.1071/sh24105
Self-citation
- Authors
- Pavlin, N. L., Parker, R. M., Piggin, A. K., Hopkins, C. A., Temple-Smith, M. J., Fairley, C. K., Tomnay, J. E., Bowden, F. J., Russell, D. B., Hocking, J. S., Pitts, M. K., & Chen, M. Y.
- Affiliations
- The University of Melbourne (AU)
- Australian National University (AU)
- Cairns Hospital (AU)
- La Trobe University (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Pavlin, Natasha L
- ORCID
- Venue
- BMC Infectious Diseases
- Published
- 2010-09-20
- Volume
- 10
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 274-274
- ISSN
- 1471-2334 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC2949762
- OpenAlex
- W1995294545
- Cited by
- 33
- References
- 23
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 1.47
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- BMC Infectious Diseases (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- ResearchOnline - JCU (James Cook University) (submittedVersion)
- Minerva Access (University of Melbourne) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- ANU Open Research (Australian National University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Funders
- Australian Government
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Microbiology › Reproductive tract infections research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Health Policy Implementation Science
- Keywords
- patient-delivered partner therapy, partner notification, chlamydia, general practitioners, referral, provider referral, stigma, confidentiality, chlamydia screening, clinician attitudes, sexually transmitted infections, Australia, rural and regional health services, youth, financial incentives, clinical guidelines
- MeSH terms
- Australia, Female, Humans, Interviews as Topic, Lymphogranuloma Venereum, Male, Rural Population, Sexual Partners, Urban Population, Contact Tracing, General Practitioners
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
