Objective: The objective of this study was to define the scope and case-finding success of HIV partner notification (PN) in the United States.
Study: The authors conducted an analysis of PN data from metropolitan areas >500,000 reporting > or =200AIDS cases in 2001.
Results: Data were collected from 28 (72%) of 39 eligible jurisdictions. In 22 jurisdictions with reportable HIV, health departments interviewed 32% of 20,353 persons with newly reported HIV. Among 6394 sex or needle-sharing partners, 19% had been previously HIV-diagnosed; 10% tested HIV-positive; 32% tested HIV-negative; and 39% were not notified, denied previous HIV diagnosis and refused HIV testing, or outcome was unknown. Health departments interviewed 13.8 persons to identify 1 new case of HIV (range, 1.0-196). Areas in which larger proportions of AIDS cases occurred among men who have sex with men reported less success identifying new cases of HIV through PN.
Conclusions: HIV PN programs identify new cases of HIV but have variable success and affect a minority of persons reported with HIV.