Los Angeles County Launches Online STD Alert System
A Web site that allows users who have been diagnosed with HIV or another sexually transmitted disease to send e-cards to inform their sex partners of their condition went online in Los Angeles County on Wednesday, the Los Angeles Times reports. The county Department of Health Services and AIDS Healthcare Foundation co-sponsor inSPOTLA.org, or Internet Notification Service for Partners or Tricks, Los Angeles.
The site, which was developed by Internet Sexuality Information Services, is part of a national campaign targeted at people who meet sexual partners online, according to the Times. The Web site allows users to send e-cards notifying partners of possible exposure to chlamydia, crabs, gonorrhea, HIV, scabies and syphilis.
County DHS to date has provided $14,000 for the project and plans to provide $8,000 annually toward its operation.
San Francisco launched a similar Web site in October 2004. Seattle, Philadelphia and Indiana are expected to launch inSPOT sites in 2006 (Lin/Costello, Los Angeles Times, 12/15).