FAIRBANKS — Alaska public health officials are trying a new tactic to persuade gay men to get tested for HIV.
Two weeks ago, officials sent messages targeting Fairbanks men who are users of two different websites used to solicit sex. On June 10, Fairbanks-area users of the “men seeking men” and “casual encounters” sections of Craigslist and another website that caters to gay males received one of two messages prepared by the State of Alaska Division of Public Health, Section of Epidemiology.
Those users who had posted notices seeking sexual partners received a response stating: “There has been a recent increase of new HIV cases in your area associated with users of this site. Your health may be at risk.”
The message went on to give information about free, confidential rapid HIV testing that the Division of Public Health planned to offer in Fairbanks the following week, and ended, “We strongly encourage you to be tested, even if you were negative recently.”
A different message was sent to any registered user who lived in the Fairbanks area and had visited either website recently, offering the same information about testing but omitting the first two sentences regarding increased HIV cases in the area and the possible health risk.
Susan Jones, HIV/STD program manager for the epidemiology department, said that her staff targeted these two websites because they were identified repeatedly during an investigation into a recent increase in HIV cases in the area.
“There was one new case last year and a couple of new cases this year,” Jones said. “They were all connected (to these sites) so we decided to do this.”
Jones said that the targeting of gay male pickup sites is common in the Lower 48 and the practice is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control.
While some members of the gay community have expressed dismay at what they perceived as the intrusive nature of the messages, none were willing to go on record. Tracey White, client services director for the Interior Aids Association, said she hadn’t received any client complaints. “My feedback is that there hasn’t been any feedback, positive or negative.”
Jones said this is the first time the state has done this type of outreach, and she does not think it is intrusive because “we have a responsibility to help Alaskans stay free of HIV infection.”
Monday is National HIV Testing Day. HIV testing is available in Fairbanks at the Fairbanks Public Health Center at 1025 Barnette Street and at the Interior AIDS Association at 710 Third Avenue.
Contact staff writer Dorothy Chomicz at 459-7590.
Read more: Fairbanks Daily News-Miner - Alaska health department goes online to fight HIV
Two weeks ago, officials sent messages targeting Fairbanks men who are users of two different websites used to solicit sex. On June 10, Fairbanks-area users of the “men seeking men” and “casual encounters” sections of Craigslist and another website that caters to gay males received one of two messages prepared by the State of Alaska Division of Public Health, Section of Epidemiology.
Those users who had posted notices seeking sexual partners received a response stating: “There has been a recent increase of new HIV cases in your area associated with users of this site. Your health may be at risk.”
The message went on to give information about free, confidential rapid HIV testing that the Division of Public Health planned to offer in Fairbanks the following week, and ended, “We strongly encourage you to be tested, even if you were negative recently.”
A different message was sent to any registered user who lived in the Fairbanks area and had visited either website recently, offering the same information about testing but omitting the first two sentences regarding increased HIV cases in the area and the possible health risk.
Susan Jones, HIV/STD program manager for the epidemiology department, said that her staff targeted these two websites because they were identified repeatedly during an investigation into a recent increase in HIV cases in the area.
“There was one new case last year and a couple of new cases this year,” Jones said. “They were all connected (to these sites) so we decided to do this.”
Jones said that the targeting of gay male pickup sites is common in the Lower 48 and the practice is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control.
While some members of the gay community have expressed dismay at what they perceived as the intrusive nature of the messages, none were willing to go on record. Tracey White, client services director for the Interior Aids Association, said she hadn’t received any client complaints. “My feedback is that there hasn’t been any feedback, positive or negative.”
Jones said this is the first time the state has done this type of outreach, and she does not think it is intrusive because “we have a responsibility to help Alaskans stay free of HIV infection.”
Monday is National HIV Testing Day. HIV testing is available in Fairbanks at the Fairbanks Public Health Center at 1025 Barnette Street and at the Interior AIDS Association at 710 Third Avenue.
Contact staff writer Dorothy Chomicz at 459-7590.
Read more: Fairbanks Daily News-Miner - Alaska health department goes online to fight HIV