Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34517838›Full record

ArticleBMC infectious diseases2021

Integrating partner notification and contact tracing services across Europe: findings from the Integrate project.

Shannon Glaspy, Lella Cosmaro, Chryssoula Botsi, Maria Stamou, Maria Giannopoulou, Aikaterini M Isari, Cheyenne Downey, Tina Mc Hugh, Gordana Avramovic, John S Lambert

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC infectious diseases, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
0.6field-weighted citation impact, top 33% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 6 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors at 4 institutions in 3 countries.

Shannon GlaspySchool of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
Lella CosmaroFondazione LILA Milano, Italian League for Fighting AIDS, Milan, Italy.
Chryssoula BotsiNational Public Health Organization (NPHO)/EODY, Marousi, Greece.
Maria StamouNational Public Health Organization (NPHO)/EODY, Marousi, Greece.
Maria GiannopoulouNational Public Health Organization (NPHO)/EODY, Marousi, Greece.
Aikaterini M IsariNational Public Health Organization (NPHO)/EODY, Marousi, Greece.
Cheyenne DowneySchool of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
Tina Mc HughSchool of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
Gordana AvramovicSchool of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
John S LambertSchool of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland. jlambert@mater.ie.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5404-2415
University College Dublin · IENational Public Health Organization · GRAndreas Sygros Hospital · GRFondazione Italiana di Ricerca per la Sclerosi Laterale Amiotrofica · IT

Funding

Third Health Programme 761319
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPartner notification/contact tracing (PN/CT) is a process whereby people diagnosed with an infectious disease notify their sexual and needle-sharing partners/close contacts and invite them for testing and treatment due to exposure to the disease. PN is a necessary testing and prevention tool supported by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and World Health Organization (WHO). Traditionally, PN efforts have been siloed within disease areas, with separate pathways and systems responsible for specific diseases. The INTEGRATE project sought to improve PN/CT outcomes by sharing knowledge across diseases and countries.

methodsINTEGRATE used two mapping exercises to assess the PN landscape in Europe and identify areas for integration and cross-learnings for Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and Tuberculosis. Mapping exercises were surveys to 29 consortium partners and in-depth qualitative interviews at four selected pilot sites: Ireland, Greece, Romania and Italy.

resultsAreas for the improvement of PN/CT emerged: lack of resources and insufficient staff training, different modes of disease transmission, country-specific laws and regulations, the advent of General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), differences in healthcare system pathways, historical concerns, and cultural differences. Activities highlighted key areas PN/CT outcomes could be improved, including PN/CT specific trainings for staff, improving knowledge on laws, regulations, guidelines and pathways and creating a country/region specific Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for PN/CT, incorporating information on all four disease areas. Findings were analyzed and three key areas were identified and implemented for knowledge transfer namely the creation of an online repository of European country guidelines, the transfer of SOPs and PN training in pilot sites.

conclusionA major finding of the project was challenges associated with incorporating Tuberculosis (TB) contact tracing alongside other infectious diseases. Professionals in the field, emphasized that integrating TB contact tracing with the other disease areas would be challenging and arguably unjustified, due to the different ways of transmission of TB and because well-established historical pathways for TB in public health systems already exist. However, the success of TB services presents an ideal model to draw from when strengthening PN systems for other infectious diseases.

Indexed as

Contact TracingSexually Transmitted DiseasesEuropeHumansSexual BehaviorSexual PartnersBarriersContact tracingIntegrationPartner notification

Identifiers

PMID34517838
PMCPMC8438812
OpenAlexW3200825332

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.