• Chi-Chi N Udeagu, Sharmila Shah, Magalieta M Toussaint, and Leonard Pickett.
• Epidemiology and Field Services Program, Bureau of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 42-09 28th Street, 22nd Floor, CN-44, Queens, NY, 11101, USA. cudeagu@health.nyc.gov.
• AIDS Behav. 2017 Nov 1; 21 (11): 3078-3086.

AbstractThe New York City Department of Health Disease Intervention Specialists (DIS) routinely contact newly HIV-diagnosed persons via telephone calls and in-person meetings to conduct partner services (PS) interviews in order to elicit the names and contact information of the HIV-exposed partners for notification and HIV-testing, and to assist clients with linkage to care. From October 2013 to December 2015, we offered PS interviews conducted via video-call alongside voice-call and in-person modes in a selected geographic area of NYC. PS interviews were conducted according to the clients' preferred mode (in-person, voice- or video-call) and location (health care facility, clients' residences, or other NYC locations). At the conclusion of the PS interviews, DIS elicited responses from persons interviewed via video-call on their perception, satisfaction and personal experiences using video-call for public health and personal purposes. Acceptance and satisfaction with PS interviews via video-call were high among clients aged <30 years, men who have sex with men, or with education above high school; while PS yields were similar across modes. These results provide evidence of the potential effectiveness of video-call interviews for specific populations.

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