Background 

Controlling sexually transmitted diseases requires that partners of patients with a sexually transmitted disease be notified and treated.

However, many countries in the developing world lack the infrastructure and resources for effective partner referral.

Goal of this Study 

To provide information on rates of partner referral in primary-level health centers in Kenya, to identify characteristics of patients with sexually transmitted diseases who inform their partners about the need for treatment, and to evaluate the impact of a brief counseling intervention on rates of partner notification.

Study Design 

Two-hundred-fifty-four patients presenting for treatment of a sexually transmitted disease were given 5 to 10 minutes of additional counseling on the importance of referring partners for sexually transmitted disease treatment.

Results 

Sixty-eight percent of patients who returned for follow-up reported they had referred their partners for treatment of a sexually transmitted disease.

The highest rates of partner notification occurred among women attending maternal child health/family planning clinics and married men and women attending general outpatient clinics.

Conclusion 

Strengthening and directing counseling toward women in maternal child health/family planning clinics and married men and women in general clinics may be an effective and inexpensive way to increase partner notification in the developing world.