Does the Internet assist clients to carry out contact tracing? A randomized controlled trial using web-based information.

ABSTRACT

The primary outcome was to determine the acceptability of the Internet, specifically a website for use in standard partner notification. A secondary objective was to determine if a website would enhance the outcomes of currently used partner notification methods. In a randomized control trial, 105 participants diagnosed with chlamydia and non-gonoccocal urethritis (NGU) were randomized and 97 completed the study. About 30% of participants were provided a standard partner letter and 70% were provided the standard partner letter and website. All participants reported that their partners had no objections to the website (0%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0-5%). There were no complaints received from any partner. The odds ratio for contacting partners was not significantly different between the two groups of participants. The results of this study indicate that providing a website with specific information about the infection to which a partner has been exposed is not harmful.