Internet Use To Promote Sexual Health

Health care officials in San Francisco and Los Angeles are using the Internet to promote testing for sexually transmitted infections, provide counseling and to help people notify partners about their infections. The San Francisco Department of Public Health recently launched the site hookinguponline.org, which aims to promote safe sex. Los Angeles County and the AIDS Healthcare Foundation introduced the site inspotla.org which allows HIV-positive users to anonymously notify sex partners via electronic postcards that they should be tested. Also, AIDS Project Los Angeles on Valentine's Day launched mysexycity.com, an interactive site for young gay men that allows them to interact with animated characters in risky sexual situations. In addition to sites dedicated to STD awareness, gay sex site manhunt.net has begun providing advertising space at no cost to nearly 100 public health agencies and allowing counselors to answer sex-related questions. Counselors with the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center identify themselves on manhunt.net and myspace.com with online names such as "letstalkaboutsex" and "askmeabouthealth" and provide tips according to Jeff Bailey, the center's director of education.

Taken from: TODAY IN iHEALTHBEAT San Francisco, L.A. Use the Internet To Promote Sexual Health April 04, 2006 http://www.chcf.org/