Using the Internet for Partner Notification of Sexually Transmitted Diseases — Los Angeles County, California, 2003

An estimated one third of Internet visits by persons aged > or =18 years are to sexually oriented websites, chat rooms, and news groups that enable users to view sexual images or participate in online discussions of a sexual nature. Although so-called "virtual sex" carries no risk for t...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report 2004-02, Vol.53 (6), p.129-131
Main Authors: Pioquinto, RM, Tupas, EA, Kerndt, PR, Taylor, MM, Holmberg, SD, Patel, PA
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Chat rooms
Contact Tracing
Electronic Mail
Email
Exanthema
HIV
Humans
Internet
Los Angeles - epidemiology
Male
Medical referrals
Public health
Sexually transmitted diseases
Sexually Transmitted Diseases - epidemiology
Sexually Transmitted Diseases - prevention & control
Syphilis
Websites
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:An estimated one third of Internet visits by persons aged > or =18 years are to sexually oriented websites, chat rooms, and news groups that enable users to view sexual images or participate in online discussions of a sexual nature. Although so-called "virtual sex" carries no risk for transmission of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), use of the Internet to find partners for actual sexual activity does carry such risk. During 2001-2003, of 759 men who have sex with men (MSM) and who had early syphilis, 172 (23%) reported using the Internet to meet sex partners (Los Angeles County Department of Health Services [LACDHS], unpublished data, 2003). Because the Internet enables sex partners to maintain anonymity by withholding identifying information (e.g., full name, address, and place of employment), it poses challenges for public health authorities. Use of the Internet by public health authorities to notify sex partners of persons with STDs has been reported previously. This report describes two cases in Los Angeles County (LAC), California, in which public health officials used the Internet to notify partners who were otherwise anonymous. Local public health authorities might develop similar strategies to use the Internet to reduce transmission of STDs.
ISSN:0149-2195
1545-861X