# Presentation: 336162

## Initiating Partner Notification on the InternetWednesday, March 10 10:00-11:45

**Andrew Delicata**
**Former Lead DIS**
**Howard Brown Health Center**
**PCRS Coordinator**
**Chicago Department of Public Health**

## Overview

- History
- Goals
- Method
- Results
- Lessons learned

## History

- Performed at Howard Brown Health Center
- Numerous original patients (OP’s) gave contact information for sex partners (SP’s) sought over the Internet
- Creation of policies and procedures for doing Internet partner notification was long overdue

## History (cont.)

- Prior to this project:
- Only 53% of people contacted over the Internet (e-mail) responded with a phone call
- All chat conversations failed to produce a phone call
- We were loosing about half of all Internet contacts, **all of whom had screen names**

## History (cont.) – The E-mail

- Hey,
- My name is Andy Delicata from Howard Brown Health Center. I am contacting you through e-mail because I have no other contact information for you (i.e. phone number or address).
- I really need to talk with you about your personal health as soon as you get this message. Due to potential confidentiality breaches I cannot tell you more in an e-mail. Therefore, I think we should talk over the phone or in person.
- Please take this seriously. THIS IS NOT A JOKE. I really need to talk with you.
- My phone number is xxx-xxx-xxxx. Please try to call during these hours: M-Th 4-8pm or F 12-4pm. Otherwise leave a message. Also, for more information about Howard Brown and what we do visit our web page at www.howardbrown.org.
- Sincerely,
- Andy Delicata
- xxx-xxx-xxxx

## Goals

- There was a great need to better utilize chat
- To notify sex partners that **had been missing**
- Maintain safety and respect of all involved
- Preserve confidentiality
- Not to appear solicitous, or to appear to be seeking sex
- Offer legitimacy

## The Goal is NOT

- For Partner Notification initiated in chat, the goal is NOT
- To educate
- To do any type of prevention work
- To notify the partner in the chat room itself

## Method

- Solicit sex partners’ e-mail address/ screen names
- Find the person in chat first
- Send an e-mail
- Attempt to initiate partner notification
- Shift from passive (e-mail) to active (chat)

## Find a Person in Chat

- All chat environments are different
- Use a buddy list, if available
- Never approach a client in an “open room”
- Always use private Instant Messages (IM)

## Initiate Partner Notification

- Introduction
- Focus
- Confidentiality
- Respect

## Introduce yourself

- i.e. “Hi. My name is Andy Delicata. I’m from Howard Brown Health Center. My phone number is xxx-xxx-xxxx. Is this a good time to talk?”
- “I have something important to tell you. It concerns your health. But I can’t tell you in an IM. Can you call me?”

## Minimize the conversation/focus

- “I can tell you that over the phone. For now, the only thing I can tell you is that this concerns your health and it is very important.”

## Maintain confidentiality

- Never state your title
- Never state the disease
- Never give your job description
- Do not try to educate
- Do not use a profile

## Maintain respect

- Do not use the person’s real name
- Instead ask, “Are you the only person who uses this screen name?”
- Acknowledge this is confusing

## Results (After the Project)

- We collected 10 sex partner’s online information from four different cases in a period of four months
- All were screen names, 8 were also e-mail addresses

## Results (cont.)

- 8/10 (80%) were found online in a chat room
- 7/8 (88%) called the DIS (one person did not accept the invitation to chat)
- E-mails were sent to four of the 8, but chat was the reason they called
- None responded to the e-mail alone

## Results (cont.)

- Using chat resulted in a 70% (7/10) call rate
- All (100%) of chat conversation with the DIS resulted in a phone call
- All phone calls resulted in the person being tested for syphilis
- Two were positive and resulted in the linkage of cases

## Lessons Learned

- Time intensive, but well worth it
- More research needed (small subset of MSM in Chicago)
- Introduction is key
- Simultaneous e-mail can hinder efforts
- No one way to initiate PN over the Internet

## Thank you

- For questions:
- _[AndrewDelicata@hotmail.com](mailto:AndrewDelicata@hotmail.com)_
- To request a copy of the policy:
- _[BeauG@howardbrown.org](mailto:BeauG@howardbrown.org)_