Profile of callers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention national sexually transmitted diseases hotline.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funds a national telephone hotline as a source of information for persons with questions about sexually transmitted diseases. Hotline callers were last surveyed in 1980.

GOAL

To determine the current profile of callers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National sexually transmitted diseases hotline, assess their concerns, and identify their sources for the hotline telephone number.

STUDY DESIGN

The survey sampled 1,100 callers: 19 per day distributed across 3 work shifts using a systematic random selection process. Nine short-answer questions were asked, and passively collected data were recorded.

RESULTS

The survey showed callers' demographics (68.4% white); socioeconomics (47.6% with incomes < $15,000); residence (79.8% urban); information requests (20.7% general sexually transmitted diseases); concerns about exposure or infection (76.5% concerned they might be infected); acceptance of referrals (35.7% to public clinics); and hotline telephone number sources (20.4% from pamphlets).

CONCLUSIONS

The hotline is called by persons from all segments of the public and addresses their concerns.