Rachel Kachur, MPH
Stephan Adelson, Adelson Consulting Services
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Evidence of the Internet as a means of transmission
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Programs anxious for direction
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Evidence of promising Internet-based efforts
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Dear Colleague letter September 13, 2005
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NCSD needs assessment

Input from researchers, MDs, CBOs, Health
Departments, CDC, NCSD, and the private sector

Reviewed by Health Departments & Community
Based Organizations
Internet Partner
Notifcation
Internet Outreach
Health
Communication
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

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Nonprescriptive
Applicable for both STD and HIV prevention
Written for a broad audience
Provide best practices from those that have the
most experience
Create a baseline for the production of local
guidelines

Tips from the field
Tip from the field
Aggressive outreach can cause chat
room members to leave the chat room
or website and go elsewhere

Examples from CBOs

Tools from existing programs

Chapters include:
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Introduction
Background
Before you begin
Evaluation of IPN
Getting started
Implementing IPN
The Future of IPN
The Internet is a powerful
tool for communication
and, as such, is a valuable
tool for facilitating STD/HIV
PN. Research has shown
the Internet to be a venue
for STD transmission11-13 as
well as a venue for disease
control and health
promotion14-16.
Tip from the field
Amend confidentiality
agreements to include e-mail
addresses, screen names &
other potentially identifying
information
IPN can be likened to leaving a
letter at someone’s door. Those
Sending an email carries the
new to IPN or who are
same risks as leaving a letter on a
considering IPN often have
doorstep. ..but the public health
concerns about confidentiality
benefit of notifying someone of
and the possibility of breaching
their possible exposure and
confidentiality. The primary
infection outweighs the small
concern is that sending an email,
possibility that confidentiality will
often from an email such as
be breached.
DCSTD, will unwittingly breach
confidentiality.
HIV and STD
Tip from the Field
In addition to documenting
IPN efforts some program
areas have created additional
forms to monitor IPN. See
Appendix F for an example.
Tip from the field
IPN should be conducted
from designated department
email accounts and profiles,
and never from personal
email accounts or profiles.
For example, on www.bgclive.com
(Black
Gay need
Chat),toafter
creating
Programs
be aware
thata
profile,
it iswebsites
necessary
to different
chose "My
different
have
Account
Options"
chose
options that
may and
helpthen
maintain
"Turn
Who I Recently
or potentially
breachVisited
Off."
Otherwise when an internet
confidentiality.
partner's profile is viewed, it will
document the HD's visit on that
particular profile.

Chapters:






Introduction
Background
Principles of Outreach
Getting started
Program implementation
Limitations of Internet
Outreach
 Summary
 Glossary
There are several
approaches Internet
outreach workers can take
when attempting to engage
a community or encourage
individuals into a one-onone chat session. There are
two approaches that are
currently in practice; an
‘active’ and a ‘passive’
approach.
TIP from the field
When considering costs,
remember that choosing
where and when to perform
outreach affects the cost
effectiveness of the program.
It is important to note that, for
agencies with limited resources
other forms of Internet work such
The most significant portion of
as partner notification and health
the cost involved with Internet
communication (as outlined in
outreach is related to staff
the other sections of these
salaries and time.
guidelines), might be considered
more cost effective over Internet
outreach.
HIV and STD
Tip from the Field
Some IM programs have a log
feature that can automatically
save chats and allow you to
print them as needed. You can
typically find this feature
under; preferences, setting, or
options.
Tip from the field
Most programs that conduct
online outreach have, at one
time or another, been
removed, blocked, or had
their profile deleted or their
account revoked from a
website.
Some Internet outreach workers
Being
too aggressive
during
may choose
to actively
contact
outreach
can threaten
trust and
online clients
they suspect,
from
rapport-building
and
willroom
often be
reading profiles or
chat
met
with negative
conversations,
arefeedback
practicingfrom
the
onlinebehaviors.
community.
high-risk
Final Draft of Internet Partner Notification and Outreach sections
are available now in print and online as a PDF at the NCSD
website http://www.ncsddc.org
The guidelines will be finalized, including the health
communications section, and available by year’s end and
available online or possible as a CD-Rom
Efforts will be made to provide the means for continued
communication and updating of the document thorough a listserv
or other electronic means of communication
This is the first iteration of many to come.
We hope these guidelines will be living documents, that
is, documents that are constantly changing and
continuously being updated based on research and
program experience, so that they remain relevant and
useful.
You have a say… Starting now! Complete the survey.
Partner Notification
David Novak
Jemima Talbot
Bruce Furness
Dan Elhman
Beau Gratzer
Jill Gatwood
Health Outreach
Eric Roland
Frank Strona
Stephan Adelson
David Novak
Contributors
Thomas Bertrand
Don Clark
Stewart Coulter
Sam Dooley
Kevin Farrell
Larry Foster
Suzanne Haecker
Tracey Hardy
Rachel Kachur
Todd Logan
Mary McFarlane
Jorge Montoya
Special thanks to the reviewers and the medical editor...
Pam Pitts
Amy Pulver
Jan Scott
David Sullivan
Drew Thomits
Karen Thompson
Lyn Trotter
Duane Wilmot
Dan Wohlfeiler
Andrew Woodruff
Kim Seechuk