STDs caught on-line

A new Web site allows students to test their knowledge about their risk for contracting sexually transmitted diseases on the Internet.

"Unspeakable" (http://www.unspeakable.com), a recently-launched Web site, allows users to learn about different aspects of sexually transmitted disease interactively.

Pfizer Inc, the makers of an antibiotic treatment for Chlamydia, launched the site on Sept. 16, and since then has had more than 10,000 visits, or hits.

"We studied the demographics of the Internet and who was contracting STDs and there was incredible overlap with the age groups," said Jonathan Rosner, a representative of Pfizer and a major contributor to "Unspeakable," on the company's decision to develop the Web site.

According to Dr. Jonathan Zenilman, of John Hopkins University and the medical editor for the site, "Unspeakable" is aimed at people under the age of 25.

"Many people, especially teen-agers and young adults, are too embarrassed to talk to family members or doctors about sex, so a source like this takes away the discomfort and provides straightforward facts," Zenilman said.

According to Kamal Harb, a health educator at the Heath Center and the director of its Web site, "Unspeakable" is a good tool to educate students about STDs.

"Many students are afraid to ask questions about STDs. It's ("Unspeakable") a great way for them to get information in the privacy of their own homes," Harb said.

"Unspeakable" includes specific information on STDs, including symptoms, treatments and methods of contraction.

The interactive component of the site includes a quiz to test the user's knowledge of STDs, a clinic locator and a risk profiler.

The risk profiler allows the user to answer a series of questions and then generate a report outlining their behavioral and situational risks of contracting an STD.

For example, if the user lives in a city with a population of more than 200,000 people, their chances for contracting an STD are increased.

Along behavioral lines, if the user has had unprotected sex their risk also rises. With each answer, a brief explanation of the risk level is included in the report.

If the user is female her report will read "Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) have a disproportionate impact on women. Because of anatomical differences, women are more susceptible to STD infection, less likely to experience symptoms, and more difficult to diagnose than men."

Some prospective users are wary of divulging personal sexual information about themselves on the World Wide Web.

"I think the site is a good idea, but I would worry about confidentiality," said Stephan Hero, a junior majoring in English.

According to Rosner, privacy is not an issue when it comes to the site or the risk profiler.

"We don't monitor the site beyond hits. We intentionally don't, for the sake of confidentiality," he said. "We have no interest in knowing what individuals are using the site."

In addition to the risk profiler, "Unspeakable" contains a section of frequently asked questions and answers about STDs. These range from "How can I get my partner to use a condom?" to "Can STDs be cured?"

Some students think the site will help raise awareness about STDs.

"I know a lot of people who don't even think about STDs," said Hourig Kizirian, a junior in sociology who is minoring in human sexuality. "Rather than listening to parents and teachers, people might learn from the Internet."

According to the "Unspeakable" site, "studies have shown that young adults aged 15 to 19, both male and female, have the highest rate of Chlamydia and gonorrhea, the two most common STDs."

The American Social Health Organization estimates that one in five Americans carry a sexually transmitted disease, with four million people contracting Chlamydia each year.

"The site won't replace doctors. It will only provide information on STDs," Harb said. "If people have any symptoms they will need to be treated by a doctor."

[ Golden Gater Online October 3, 1996 ]

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