David S. Novak, Senior Public Health Strategist, at Online Buddies, Inc., the parent company of MANHUNT, announced today that MANHUNT will promote an innovative HIV testing campaign during this year’s National HIV Testing Day. On June 27, nearly 1.5 million MANHUNT members will be educated about five easy ways to get tested for HIV.
“It’s estimated that at least 25% of persons in the U.S. who are living with HIV don’t know their status. Recent research* suggests that 85% of men who have never tested for HIV report they are HIV-negative online,” said Novak. Novak said this campaign, which highlights AIDS.gov National HIV Testing Day activities and new corporate partner GetSTDtested.com, follows the success of February’s National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day and 2008 World AIDS Day promotions.
More after the jump.
“We need to think differently about how we encourage men to test for HIV and other STDs. In the old days HIV testing was about fear, stigma and death. Today, HIV testing should be natural, normal and about life. MANHUNT has made huge strides in HIV/STD education and prevention as well as moving interventions online. Our company is proud to be part of this innovative work and to offer private online testing for HIV and seven common STDs to MANHUNT members at a discount,” said Tracey Powell, CEO of GetSTDtested.com.
MANHUNT is the first website to allow health outreach organizations to interact with members and offer a series of online HIV prevention videos aimed at encouraging members to verbally disclose and/or test for HIV. Through a partnership with Dr. Mary Ann Chiasson, Vice President at Public Health Solutions, MANHUNT approved a study allowing members to validate an online video intervention entitled “HIV Big Deal.”
Dr. Chiasson supports broad-based targeted messages to members reminding them to get tested. “MANHUNT has and continues to be an industry leader with promoting HIV/STD prevention. This campaign again sets this company ahead of all others,” said Dr. Chiasson. On World AIDS Day 2008, MANHUNT teamed up with Public Health Solutions, New York University and In the Life Media to promote the “HIV Big Deal” video series through a multi-media campaign on MANHUNT. Mr. Novak will present results of this campaign later this month at the International Society of STD Research Conference in London, England and at the National HIV Prevention Conference and the National Conference on Health Communication, Marketing, and Media in Atlanta, GA in August.
“We have long worked with public health departments to facilitate sexually transmitted infection prevention,” said Adam Segel, MANHUNT’s CEO. “Creating new partnerships that educate our members about new ways to test - specifically at-home, in-lab and online-based testing - along with traditional testing strategies, helps our members know their options,” says Segel.
Dr. Keith Horvath, from the University of Minnesota agrees. “The first step to diminish the impact of HIV in our communities is for men and women to be tested for HIV and, for those who test positive, to get into appropriate care so they can live long and healthy lives. Studies consistently show that the vast majority of persons who test HIV-positive take active measures to reduce sexual risk for themselves and their partners.”
To learn more visit www.MANHUNTCARES.com/gettested or www.getSTDtested.com/MANHUNTCARES.
