Community education about STD prevention is also important for beginning to change risky behavior before infection occurs. Notifying, treating and educating partners of persons diagnosed with STDs. A sexual partner who has been exposed to an STD should be informed of his or her potential infection by the infected person, his or her health care provider, the provider's staff, or public health staff trained in partner notification. In most states, the law protects public health personnel in the notification process but does not protect other persons. Private providers and public health personnel may work together to provide sexual contacts with information on all aspects of needed care.
Notification is a key step to prevent re-infection and further spread of STDs.
Reporting STD cases to assist in planning, evaluating, resource allocating, and coordinating efforts. Health departments monitor and analyze reported STDs to identify problems in specific communities, to evaluate the effects of control measures, and to detect changes in trends. Complete and accurate reporting is essential so that the partnership of private providers and public health personnel can appropriately address STD problems. Laws in every state require providers to report some STDs. Under-reporting of STDs results in failure to note disease trends and inadequate planning to address STD problems.