title: Promotion and uptake of a new online partner notification and retesting reminder service for gay men.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In 2006, two new innovative features were added to a website called WhyTest which provided HIV/sexually transmissable infection (STI) information for gay men. The features were the 'Tell them' service allowing visitors to forward anonymous e-postcard or short message services (SMS) to sexual partners who may have been exposed to an STI, and the 'Remind me' service allowing visitors to register for a 3-, 6- or 12-monthly SMS reminder for a sexual health check. We describe the uptake of the new website functionality, and recognition of a health promotion campaign conducted in January-June 2007 to promote these new features.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used Poisson regression to assess trends in monthly partner notification messages and STI testing reminders sent in August 2007-June 2010. We also analysed 2007 Sydney Gay Community Periodic Survey data to measure recall of the campaign.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 7923 partner notification messages were sent in the period August 2007-June 2010, with a significant increasing trend in monthly messages sent (P<0001). Of the total messages sent, 7581 (96%) were by SMS and 342 (4%) by e-postcards. A total of 1023 STI testing reminders were sent in the same period, with a significant increasing trend in monthly reminders sent (P<0.001); 516 reminders were by SMS (50.4%) and 507 by email (49.6%). The 2007 Sydney Gay Community Periodic Survey showed that 55% of the 2342 participants recognised the WhyTest image in the campaign.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was high awareness of WhyTest campaign images and the SMS partner notification service was more popular than the e-postcard feature.
authors.affiliation: Sydney Sexual Health Centre, Sydney, NSW, Australia. christopher.bourne@sesiahs.health.nsw.gov.au
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bourne
authors.forename: Iryna
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zablotska
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Williamson
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Calmette
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D016358:Contact Tracing / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D034742:Electronic Mail; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D006293:Health Promotion; D018451:Homosexuality, Male; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D016012:Poisson Distribution; D017010:Reminder Systems; D012747:Sexual Partners; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires