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Janet S. St. Lawrence, PhD, Daniel E. Montaño, PhD, Danuta Kasprzyk, PhD, William R. Phillips, MD, MPH, Keira Armstrong, MPH and Jami S. Leichliter, PhD

Janet S. St. Lawrence and Jami S. Leichliter are with the Division of STD Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Ga. Daniel E. Montaño, Danuta Kasprzyk, William R. Phillips, and Keira Armstrong are with the Battelle Centers for Public Health Research and Evaluation, Seattle, Wash. William R. Phillips is also with the Department of Family Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle.

Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to Janet S. St. Lawrence, PhD, Behavioral Interventions and Research Branch, Division of STD Prevention, Mail Stop E-44, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd, NE, Atlanta, GA 30329 (e-mail: nzs4{at}cdc.gov).

Objectives. This study presents results from a national survey of US physicians that assessed screening, case reporting, partner management, and clinical practices for syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and HIV infection.

Methods. Surveys were mailed to a random sample of 7300 physicians to assess screening, testing, reporting, and partner notification for syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and HIV.

Results. Fewer than one third of physicians routinely screened men or women (pregnant or nonpregnant) for STDs. Case reporting was lowest for chlamydia (37%), intermediate for gonorrhea (44%), and higher for syphilis, HIV, and AIDS (53%–57%). Physicians instructed patients to notify their partners (82%–89%) or the health department (25%–34%) rather than doing so themselves.

Conclusions. STD screening levels are well below practice guidelines for women and virtually nonexistent for men. Case reporting levels are below those legally mandated; physicians rely instead on patients for partner notification. Health departments must increase collaboration with private physicians to improve the quality of STD care.

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