Intervention Development Protocol for a novel, co-produced, sexually transmitted infection partner notification intervention for men who have sex with men

IntroductionThe number of bacterial sexually transmitted infections diagnosed among men who have sex with men (MSM) continues to rise annually. Innovative public health interventions are needed to address this. Partner notification (PN), is important in reducing STI transmission by identifying, testing and treating the sex partners of people with STIs. Outcomes of PN in MSM are sub-optimal; some MSM with STIs report high numbers of "one-off" sex partners (where sex occurs on one occasion only) who appear to contribute disproportionately to community transmission but are poorly reached by current PN interventions. Aims/ObjectivesThis paper describes the protocol for development of a novel, co-produced, multi-level, PN intervention for MSM with "one-off" partners. The process described will ensure the intervention is evidence-based, theoretically informed and acceptable to users, service providers, commissioners and those with community interest. Methods and AnalysisOur three-phase approach draws on the revised Medical Research Council (MRC) guidance for developing and evaluating complex interventions. First, we combine evidence synthesis with stakeholder engagement to understand the barriers and enablers to PN to co-produce preliminary intervention ideas. Next, we further develop our intervention ideas and adapt our emerging programme theory by collecting detailed data through focus groups and interviews with purposively sampled stakeholders. Data analysis using the theoretical domains framework and the behaviour change wheel will detail the relationship between putative causal mechanisms and optimal intervention components involved in enhancing PN amongst MSM. Finally, we refine our programme theory, map and clarify our intervention and its intersecting components. We will share our intervention with a panel of expert clinicians, third sector organisations and a lay audience of MSM to detail a co-produced PN intervention. OutcomeCo-produced intervention and programme theory suitable for testing in a future feasibility study. Ethics and disseminationThis protocol received ethical approval from Glasgow Caledonian University HLS/NCH/19/059. Findings will be published with open access licenses. SUMMARYPartner notification for men who have sex with men is suboptimal this paper describes a protocol to develop a co-produced multi-level partner notification intervention.