Welcome To The Sex::Tech Blog

The Cutting Edge of STD Testing, Treatment and Partner Notification

If you want to find out what's new in the STD testing world, don't miss Sex::Tech 2012. As we all know, STD rates (including chlamydia, herpes, syphilis and gonorrhea) are highest among youth and young adults, particularly youth of color and young men who have sex with men.

While most STDs are treatable (chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis), leaving one untreated can increase your risk of transmitting HIV, which to date, has no cure. If you're wondering how the folks at STD Prevention and Control are using new media to reach out and provide access to clinical services, you won't want to miss this panel at Sex::Tech with leaders in the field from around the country.

Brenna Simon, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium: Folks in Alaska are reaching out to Native youth with STD home testing via iknowmine.org. They adapted the evidence-based testing program, IWantTheKit, to provide free at-home STD tests via the USPS.

Kendra Shanley, RTI International: This collaborative team in California including RTI, ISIS and three county health departments, is also adapting IWantTheKit for young women, with the add-ons of confidential online results online, treatment information, optional e-prescription, partner notification, and referrals.

Yasir Shah, Washington, DC Dept of Health: The District’s School-based STD Screening Program has tested thousands of adolescents and identified and treated hundreds of youth infected with chlamydia / gonorrhea. ISIS, Inc. has collaborated with DC DOH since 2010 to send text messages to students reminding them to call in for their results. And the jury's in; Text to phone works!

Juan A. Mendez, Multnomah County Health Department: These folks in Portland are cutting edge. Their disease investigators began a project in 2010 to send SMS text messages to sex partners of people diagnosed with an STD, after making a phone, but before sending an email or a letter.

Fast Fact: Did you know that according to Google keyword tool, What is Herpes? and What are Herpes? are searched over 9 million times a month?

Posted by: sadmin on Thursday, January 26, 2012 - 16:34
The Kinsey Institute: Advancing Sexual Health and Knowledge Worldwide

You may have heard of the The Kinsey Institute - a trusted source for more than 60 years, investigating and informing the world about critical issues in sex, gender, and reproduction.

But did you know that the Kinsey Institute…

Has over 48,000 photographs in their library, including a recent acquisition of Robert Mapplethorpe beauties? 

Conducts research on the role of sex in long-term relationships, the areas of the brain involved in sexual attraction, and just exactly what people mean when they say, “having sex”? 

Has a Director who, according to the New York Times, is a professor of clinical psychiatry and psychological and brain sciences and has recently read, “Just Kids” by Patti Smith? 

Has a juried art show (applications due Feb. 6th) for works that explore sexuality, gender, reproduction, romantic relationships, and the politics of sex & gender? 

Has almost 75,000 Twitter followers @kinseyinstitute ?

Meet Jennifer Bass, Kinsey’s Communications Director, at Sex::Tech 2012. She will be in conversation with other new media communications leaders, Elizabeth Tolelo of Camino PR and Veronica Bayetti of the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health. The panel will be moderated by  ISIS’ Director of Marketing and Communications, Natalie Zensius. 

 

 

 

 

Posted by: sadmin on Tuesday, January 24, 2012 - 16:33
UMich Researchers from the Sex Lab Rock Sex::Tech 2012

Check it - Some of the most exciting research at the intersection of young adults, social media and sexual health is coming out of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor Sex Lab. They are the researchers behind the Virtual Love Study, recently published data in AIDS and Behavior confirming the importance of love in young men's sexual lives.

The Sex Lab, headed up by the one-and-only Jose Bauermeister, PhD, has a record 4 abstracts accepted for this year's conference in San Francisco.

Here they are:

Rachael Strecher,  2nd year MPH student, is talking about a new program - Detroit Youth Passages - that uses an ethnographic method to explore and discuss the risks and opportunities for sexual health promotion for youth using online transactional sex-seeking spaces.

Chrysta Meadowbrook and Tiffany Veinot are reporting on a research project, the Young Men's Study with young men who have sex with men examining relationships between online (1) HIV/AIDS information use, relevance, and social networks and (2) HIV testing and risk-taking behaviors.

Laura Thomas, 2nd year dual degree student, reports back from her research that young men who have sex with men and young gay men are lacking in digital youth-centered sex education.

Senior researchers, Andrew Hickok and Jose Bauermeister, two glass-half full guys, have rigorous data showing an optimistic bias for safe sex among young men who have sex with men seeking partners online.

Meet these new and veteran researchers in person in April at Sex::Tech 2012. Register today!

Posted by: sadmin on Thursday, January 19, 2012 - 17:57
Book Your Hotel Now - Great Rates

   We are so excited to be back at the Stanford Court Renaissance Hotel. Get your calves in shape for walking up and down the hill (so San Francisco!) or take the famous cable car up Powell Street to get the incredible views without huffing and puffing.

The peeps at the Stanford Court love us, and the feelings are mutual. These days, hotels in San Francisco are at maximum occupancy again and prices have risen, so our negotiated rate of $159 per night (+ tax) is awesome for this spectacular hotel.

You can reserve directly with the hotel by calling 1(800) 468-3571 - use booking code SEXTECH, or online using the funny code SEXASEXA. This great rate is available on a first-come basis until March 9th, 2012!

Click for maps and directions.

Posted by: sadmin on Thursday, January 12, 2012 - 15:11
Featured at Sex::Tech: Photovoice

PhotoVoice gives a participatory voice through photography to vulnerable communities for social change. PhotoVoice designs and delivers tailor-made participatory photography, digital storytelling and self-advocacy projects for socially excluded groups. Cool! 

At Sex::Tech this year, our PhotoVoice panel features:

Luis Guitterez-Mock from the Center of Excellence for Transgender Health at UCSF, using photovoice for  gender-variant, marginally housed youth.

Heather Alberda from Ottawa Public Health using photovoice to give youth voice around contraception.

Julia Reticker-Flynn from Advocates for Youth and Choice USA, who used photovoice for their 1 in 3 campaign around abortion.

Posted by: sadmin on Wednesday, January 11, 2012 - 11:15