Table 1

Summary of implemented interventions

Author(s), year country	Participants, design, infections	Study aim	Digital PN intervention	Outcomes measured				Other
Author(s), year country	Participants, design, infections	Study aim	Digital PN intervention	Partners notified	Partners tested	Partners treated	Acceptability	Other
Clark et al 21 Peru	N= 370 MSM with symptomatic primary or secondary syphilis Quantitative randomised controlled trial Syphilis infections	Evaluate two PN technologies (web-based PN and referral cards) and their effect on notification outcomes	Web application ‘inspot.org’	✓	✓	✓
Estcourt et al 22 UK	N= 221 116 from genitourinary clinics 105 from NCSP online postal testing service Quantitative non-randomised study Chlamydia infections	Assess the safety, feasibility and potential of an eSexual health clinic	eSexual health clinic/web application	✓		✓
Götz et al 23 Netherlands	N=2295 Diagnosed with an STI in one of two clinics 1184 web-application codes, with 988 linked to index patient records Quantitative descriptive study Pilot Multiple STIs including HIV	Pilot of ‘suggetatest.nl’ to evaluate use and partner response linked to clinical data	Web application ‘suggestatest.nl’ (requires a log in code generated from the STI clinic)	✓	✓
Guy et al 38 Australia	N=164 Family planning doctors and nurses involved in chlamydia management in non-government clinics Mixed-methods study Survey and focus groups Chlamydia infections	Evaluate PN practices of family planning clinicians following a patient’s chlamydia diagnosis and assess how often patients are referred to the PN website	Web application ‘Let Them Know’ Anonymous SMS, email or letter					HCP perspective
Hightow-Weidman et al 24 USA	N=524 362 internet PN 2011-2012 133 internet PN 2010 29 SMS PN Quantitative non-randomised study Syphilis and HIV infections	Service evaluation comparing PN outcomes from PN using closed and open email systems, internet PN and a pilot SMS PN	Internet and SMS	✓	✓*	✓		DIS initiated
Htaik et al 25 Australia	N=148,256 Web application users between 2011 and 2019 Quantitative descriptive study Multiple STIs excluding HIV	Determine the number of messages sent on ‘Let Them Know’ and whether this improved PN	Web application ‘Let Them Know’ SMS	✓
Hunter et al 39 USA	N=55 Individuals identified in a syphilis infection cluster Mixed-methods study Anecdotal reports Syphilis infections	Describe the experience of using Facebook as a complementary approach to traditional PN methods	Facebook Investigate PN Elicit partners	✓	✓*	✓		DIS initiated
Mobley et al 26 USA	N=3414 MSM with early syphilis Quantitative non-randomised study Syphilis infections	Assess the association of PN and use of internet-based applications for meeting sex partners	Internet app	✓	✓	✓		DIS initiated
Pennise et al 28 USA	N=97 MSM within a multi-infection investigation Quantitative non-randomised study Multiple STIs including HIV	Describe a multi-infection STI investigation and how the use of smartphone technologies assisted	Smartphone app GSN app	✓	✓			DIS initiated
Udeagu et al 29 USA	N=3319 Partners receiving HIV PN Quantitative non-randomised study HIV infections	Compare internet and SMS PN with traditional PN outcomes to guide	Internet and SMS	✓	✓			DIS initiated
Van Aar et al 30 Netherlands	N=105 MSM who are newly diagnosed with an STI/HIV, reporting 612 partners at risk Quantitative descriptive study Pilot Multiple STIs including HIV	Assess current PN practices, effectiveness and determinants of being notified among MSM	Internet	✓	✓
Willetts, Cowper & Cameron32 UK	N=168 Partner issues a voucher from a chlamydia positive partner Quantitative descriptive study Chlamydia infections	Evaluate the use of a novel electronic voucher treatment service	Electronic prescription voucher	✓		✓

*Reports on positive cases or number of partners with unknown status.
†Index patient perspective.
‡Both Index patient and partner perspectives.
DIS, disease investigation specialist; GSN, geosocial networking; HCP, healthcare professional; MSM, men who have sex with men; NCSP, National Chlamydia Screening Program; PN, partner notification; SMS, short message service; STIs, sexually transmitted infections.