Efetividade de estratégias de notificação de parceiros sexuais de pessoas com infecções sexualmente transmissíveis

Abstract

The treatment of people involved in sexual relationships is essential for the interruption of the transmission cycle of sexually transmitted infections. To do so, notification of sexual partners is required, a process whereby the sexual contacts of an index patient are identified and informed (verbal or by delivery of a notification card) of their exposure, and invited to perform tests, counseling and, if necessary, treatment. In this context, the objective was to compare the effectiveness of partner notification strategies, verbal and with the use of the notification card, in the presence of sexual partners of people with sexually transmitted infections. An intervention study was carried out, with a prospective, controlled and randomized design. The intervention consisted of offering a notification card for index patients to deliver to their partners. It was carried out in a reference center in sexually transmitted infections of the Secretary of Health of the State of Ceará. The study consisted of two groups: a) Group 1 (GI) - Intervention Group, formed by people with STIs who took the notification card to their sexual partners as a form of invitation to attend; b) Group 2 (CG) - Control Group, formed by people with STIs who verbally invited sexual partners to seek health care. The data collection period occurred from August 2016 to July 2017, with a final sample composed of 189 participants, 94 of the control group and 95 of the intervention group. Two forms were used, one of which was used to obtain information from index patients and another from partners who attended the study, for sociodemographic characterization, health habits, sexual behavior and type of sexually transmitted infections of both. The quantitative data were inserted in Excel spreadsheet, analyzed by absolute and relative frequency. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used for bivariate statistical analysis. The association between categorical variables was performed using the chi-square test (χ2) for independent variables, and the odds ratio and 95% Confidence Interval (CI) were calculated. The value of p <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Although the highest percentage of partners reported by card (52.6%) rather than verbally (43.6%), this difference was not statistically significant. Factors associated with non-success in partner attendance, not residing with the partner, not having a fixed partner, having a casual partnership, and using a condom with a fixed partner were found to be factors associated with non-success in partner attendance. Although the type of sexually transmitted infections of index patients has not been identified as a significant factor associated with partner attendance, there was prominence in the coming of partners of patients with syphilis, trichomonas and HIV, and in the identification of new cases of sexually transmitted infections from this action. In view of the lack of effectiveness in card notification, it is recommended to develop a card template containing information for partners to be used in combination with other methods. The results obtained denied the thesis that "The notification card of partners increases the attendance of sexual partners of people with STIs to the health service".