Abstract
To describe the policies and procedures used by 11 urban tuberculosis control programs to conduct contact investigations, written policies were reviewed and semi-structured interviews were conducted with program managers and staff. Qualitative analysis showed that contact investigation policies and procedures vary widely. Most policies address risk factor assessment and contact prioritization; however, none of the policies provide comprehensive guidance for the entire process. Staffing patterns vary, but, overall, staff receive little formal training; informal monitoring practices predominate. Comprehensive guidelines and programmatic support are needed to improve the quality of contact investigation processes.