Shackleton Thomas, Sutcliffe Lorna, Estcourt Claudia
Blizard Institute of Cell and Molecular Science, Barts, London ECIA 7BE, UK.
Sex Health. 2011 Mar;8(1):17-22. doi: 10.1071/SH10031.
Partner notification in primary care is problematic and of limited effectiveness despite enthusiasm from primary care providers to engage with sexually transmissible infection (STI) management. Innovative partner notification strategies must be relevant to the primary care context. The aim of the present study was to explore the opinions of general practitioners (GP) and practice nurses on the acceptability and feasibility of a new form of partner notification developed in the specialist setting known as Accelerated Partner Therapy (APT), for sex partners of those diagnosed with a bacterial STI in general practice. APT is defined as partner notification strategies that reduce time for sex partners to be treated, and include partner assessment by appropriately qualified health care professionals and here involve telephone and community pharmacy assessment.
Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of GP and practice nurses in East London, UK.
All participants appreciated the importance of partner notification in STI management and felt that APT would improve their practice. They supported prioritising antibiotic provision for the sex partners with provision for future comprehensive STI screening. Although both models were acceptable and feasible, the majority preferred the sexual health clinic telephone assessment over the pharmacy model.
GP and practice nurses welcome new strategies for partner notification and believe APT could provide rapid and convenient treatment of sex partners in general practice. This supports further evaluation of APT models as a partner notification strategy in primary care.
尽管初级保健提供者热衷于参与性传播感染（STI）管理，但初级保健中的性伴侣通知存在问题且效果有限。创新的性伴侣通知策略必须与初级保健环境相关。本研究的目的是探讨全科医生（GP）和执业护士对一种在专科环境中开发的新型性伴侣通知形式（称为加速性伴侣治疗，APT）的可接受性和可行性的看法，该形式适用于在全科医疗中被诊断患有细菌性性传播感染的患者的性伴侣。APT被定义为减少性伴侣接受治疗时间的性伴侣通知策略，包括由具备适当资质的医疗保健专业人员进行性伴侣评估，此处涉及电话和社区药房评估。
对英国东伦敦的全科医生和执业护士进行了有目的抽样的半结构化定性访谈。
所有参与者都认识到性伴侣通知在性传播感染管理中的重要性，并认为APT会改善他们的工作。他们支持优先为性伴侣提供抗生素，并为未来的全面性传播感染筛查提供条件。虽然两种模式都可接受且可行，但大多数人更喜欢性健康诊所的电话评估而不是药房模式。
全科医生和执业护士欢迎新的性伴侣通知策略，并认为APT可以在全科医疗中为性伴侣提供快速便捷的治疗。这支持进一步评估APT模式作为初级保健中性伴侣通知策略的可行性。
