Impact of a Single Session of Counseling on Partner Referral for Sexually Transmitted Disease Treatment, Harare, Zimbabwe

• Published in: AIDS and behavior 2002-09, Vol.6 (3), p.237-243
• Main Authors: Moyo, Witness, Chirenje, Z M, Mandel, Jeffrey, Schwarcz, Sandra K, Klausner, Jeffrey, Rutherford, George, McFarland, Willi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; AIDS; Counseling; Disease transmission; HIV; Human immunodeficiency virus; Intervention; Medical treatment; Referral; Sexually transmitted diseases; STD; Treatment; Venereal Diseases; Womens health; Zimbabwe
• ISSN: 1090-7165; 1573-3254
• DOI: 10.1023/A:1019891808383

Counseling patients with sexually transmitted diseases (STD) to refer their partners to treatment is considered a means of preventing reinfection and controlling the spread of STD and is standard practice throughout the world. We conducted a randomized controlled trial to assess the impact of an enhanced counseling session on partner referral in Harare, Zimbabwe. The intervention consisted of an individualized confidential session with a trained counselor; standard care (control) relied on the treating clinician to discuss partner referral. A consecutive sample of 272 patients (135 men, 137 women) was randomly assigned to the intervention or control group; 137 (50%) completed follow- up. By intent-to-treat analysis, persons in the intervention arm were more likely to report notifying any partner compared to controls (92% vs. 67%, adjusted odds ratio 4.1, 95% confidence interval 1.3-13.2, p < .001). Across both study arms, women and married persons were more likely to notify partners, particularly spouses. Few persons notified casual partners. Qualitative data at follow-up identified diverse motivating factors and barriers to partner referral. A short, low-cost counseling session may increase the number of spouses referred to STD treatment in resource-poor, high-morbidity areas of sub-Saharan Africa. New methods of treating or notifying casual partners need to be evaluated.