Internet-based site-specific interventions for syphilis prevention among gay and bisexual men.
Recent increases in syphilis in gay men in urban areas in the US and Europe have been associated with men meeting new sex partners on the Internet in chat-rooms and at websites that facilitate partner meeting. In response to the syphilis epidemic in San Francisco, the San Francisco Department of Public Health partnered with a community-based organization, Internet Sexuality Information Services, Inc., to develop, implement and evaluate a broad range of innovative Internet-based prevention interventions including the creation of a website, individual online outreach, banner advertisements, chats, an educational site, message boards, warnings and an online syphilis testing program. This paper documents the varied success of these interventions with process measures and calls for greater emphasis on impact measures in the evaluation of these types of intervention.
Klausner
J D
JD
STD Prevention and Control Services, San Francisco Department of Public Health, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA. Jeff.Klausner@sfdph.org
Levine
D K
DK
Kent
C K
CK
D000329:Advertising / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001727:Bisexuality; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D006266:Health Education / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods; D018451:Homosexuality, Male; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012495:San Francisco; D012736:Sex Education / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods; D012747:Sexual Partners; D013587:Syphilis / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013588:Syphilis Serodiagnosis / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods; D047568:Unsafe Sex