Objectives: To determine factors associated with partner notification (PN) of sexually transmitted infection (STI) exposure among low-income Mexican American and African American women and their male sexual partners.
Goal: To identify women most likely to notify their partners about an STI exposure.
Study design: Cross-sectional analysis of 775 women with a nonviral STI. The primary outcome, PN, is notification of, or intent to notify male sexual partner(s) of STI exposure. A comprehensive intake interview was used to obtain sociodemographic, psychosocial, communication, and relationship information for the patients and each male sexual partner. Chi square analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to determine factors independently associated with PN.
Results: The 775 women identified 1122 male sexual partners. Of women with 1, 2, and 3 or more partners, 87.9%, 41.4%, and 25.0% reported PN for all partners respectively. Logistic regression demonstrated that 5 variables independently predicted PN: a "steady" relationship (OR: 5.25; CI: 2.82-4.91), 1 partner (OR: 2.10; CI: 1.71-2.56), recent intercourse (OR: 1.37; CI: 1.21-1.54), anticipated ongoing sexual activity (OR: 1.48; CI: 1.04-2.10), and/or desire for pregnancy with that partner (OR: 1.68; CI: 1.10-2.58). Patient and partner sociodemographic variables were not significantly associated with PN. Responses to specific relationship and communication variables, although significant, did not remain independent in the final logistic regression model.
Conclusion: Among low-income Mexican American and African American women, the perception that a relationship with individual partner(s) was committed was predictive of PN.