No abstract

Contact tracing—the process of identifying, isolating, and managing infected persons and their contacts—is a recognized public health measure for controlling the transmission of infectious diseases. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, contact tracing has received intense attention. We provide a brief overview of the history of contact tracing during several major disease outbreaks in the past century: syphilis and other sexually transmitted infections, HIV infection, tuberculosis, Ebola virus disease, and COVID-19. Our discussion on the barriers to and facilitators of contact tracing offers a perspective on societal and institutional roles and dynamics, stigma as a major barrier to effective tracing efforts, and how the nature and epidemiology of the infection itself can affect its success. We explore the evolution and adaptation of contact tracing and provide insights for future programming and research. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print June 2, 2022: e1–e9. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2022.306842 )

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) uptake among women in the United States has been low. To increase uptake, we developed a peer outreach and navigation PrEP intervention. Semi-structured qualitative interviews with 32 cisgender women and 3 transgender women were conducted to assess the intervention. We used a thematic approach to identify barriers to, and facilitators of the intervention. Facilitators included interest in PrEP, offer of health and social services, the intervention’s women-focused approach, and peer outreach and navigation. Barriers were perceived HIV risk, concerns about medication side effects or interactions, housing insecurity and travel, co-occurring health-related conditions, and caregiving responsibilities. We recommend that future interventions consider packaging PrEP in local community settings, such as syringe exchange programs; include services such as food and housing assistance; use peers to recruit and educate women; integrate a culturally appropriate women’s focus; and consider providing same-day PrEP.

Routine data on vaccine uptake are not disaggregated by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other sexual identities (LGBTQ+) populations, despite higher risk of infection and severe disease. We found comparable vaccination uptake patterns among 1032 LGBTQ+ New Yorkers and the general population. We identified critical socioeconomic factors that were associated with vaccine hesitancy in this economically vulnerable population.

School nurses are often sources of health-care support for teens with sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unintended pregnancies. However, providing prevention (e.g., condoms) and teaching technical skills (e.g., condom use) needed to reduce high-risk sexual behavior may require a change in perceptions and policies. This study used a cross-sectional study design to assess nurses’ perceptions of condom availability accompanied by sex education programs among high school nurses ( n = 87) in Kansas. Results showed that school nurses in this study supported condom availability, were comfortable providing condoms, and felt condom availability was within the scope of their job but were less likely to provide condoms because of external barriers. Common barriers include administration, parents, cost, community support, and policies. School nurses, by virtue of their access to the majority of Kansas’ adolescents, have the potential to provide sex education and tools such as condoms, so young people can prevent STIs and unintended pregnancies.