National Institute of Mental Health 1R01MH138281-01A1

Electronic Partner Notification for STIs: A Syndemic Approach to Improve HIV and STI Service Access in MA

Award to Massachusetts General Hospital for developing and evaluating an electronic partner notification platform to improve STI and HIV service access in Massachusetts, aiming to enhance partner notification, increase testing and treatment, and promote HIV prevention strategies.

Description

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health is introducing the first statewide electronic partner notification (ePN) platform, which will allow people diagnosed with common bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia to anonymously notify partners of exposure and connect them to care. This ePN system has the potential to improve STI care and decrease rates of these bacterial infections, but how best to tailor and implement ePN with integrated STI and HIV services is unknown. In a collaboration between the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and three high-volume sexual health clinics in the state, we plan to assess the impact of the initial ePN roll-out on the number of partners notified and engaged in sexual health care, develop enhancements to promote HIV prevention, and evaluate the effect of the enhanced platform on STIs and PrEP use; this work will inform the local STI/HIV response and also guide other jurisdictions seeking innovative solutions for integrating STI and HIV care, a key component of the US national HIV strategy.

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