(P234) Patient outcomes and perceptions of partner services among MSM diagnosed with early syphilis in King County, WA

Background: The contemporary acceptability and effectiveness of partner services (PS) among men who have sex with men (MSM) with syphilis is ill-defined.

Methods: We used public health surveillance data to generate a potential study participant list of MSM diagnosed with early syphilis in King County, WA from 5/1/2020-6/30/2021. The study population included all MSM for whom public health staff (disease intervention specialists [DIS]) initiated PS investigations (N=143) and a random sample of MSM for whom no efforts to provide PS were initiated (N=207). Public health staff attempted to contact potential participants between 7/31/2021 and 8/27/2021. Consenting MSM completed a telephone survey about partner outcomes, services received, and their perception of PS.

Results: Study staff successfully contacted 208 (59%) potential participants of whom 92 (44%) consented to participate. Of those, 52% (N=48) reported that the health department tried to contact them following their syphilis diagnosis and 43% (N=40) reported speaking with DIS. Of those who spoke with DIS, 90% (N=36) reported that DIS asked them to contact their partners, 80% (N=32) reported they had the information needed to contact partners after speaking with DIS, and 15% (N=6) reported DIS contacted their partners on their behalf. All participants reported that speaking with DIS resulted in more (20%; N=8) or the same (80%; N=32) number of partners learning about the need for syphilis testing. Sixteen (40%) of the participants reported DIS helped them get medical care for syphilis. Nine (64%) of 14 HIV-negative participants who were not already on PrEP reported that DIS helped them start PrEP. Most participants who spoke with DIS reported it was very or somewhat helpful (68%; N=27), and only 2 (5%) reported it was somewhat harmful. Eighty (87%) participants – including 92% (N=37) of participants who spoke with DIS - thought that the health department should try to contact everyone diagnosed with syphilis for PS.

Conclusions: Although most participants reported that PS did not increase the number of partners they notified, the vast majority were nonetheless supportive of the health department providing PS to all persons with syphilis. DIS successfully helped some patients link to syphilis treatment and PrEP.