The Medical Institute Launches STD Wizard, First Online STD Risk Assessment Tool

Main Category: Sexual Health / STDs
Also Included In: Cervical Cancer / HPV Vaccine
Article Date: 17 May 2007 - 12:00 PDT

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A new tool has been launched in the fight against HPV, AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). The Medical Institute has launched the STD Wizard, an innovative online assessment tool aimed at increasing prevention and early detection of STDs.

More than 65 million Americans are currently living with an STD. Research indicates that 19 million new infections occur every year in the United States. Although most people infected with sexually transmitted infection show no symptoms, they can still spread infections. These individuals are often unaware that they have an infection, or if they do know, are too embarrassed to seek treatment.

"The STD Wizard is a powerful web-based risk assessment tool that can help reduce the estimated 19 million new infections that occur each year, half of which are among young people under the age of 25," said The Medical Institute national spokesperson, Freda Bush, M.D. "Whether it's HPV or some other infection, our greatest advantage is early detection and awareness. The STD Wizard will help people understand the risks associated with their sexual activities and will reduce the spread of disease."

The STD Wizard is a comprehensive assessment tool developed by The Medical Institute's doctors and scientists. The Wizard guides users through an interactive question-and-answer process focused on past and current sexual behavior. Analysis and recommendations are based on up-to-date research and take into account such factors as age, gender and geographic location.

"Embarrassment or lack of access to healthcare often prevents young people from seeking out information and advice about exposure to STDs," said The Medical Institute President & CEO, Gary Rose, M.D. "The STD Wizard promotes testing and protects the individual's privacy, while providing a thorough risk assessment and a recommended course of action. As we continue to debate the use of STD-related vaccinations for children, the STD Wizard offers a well-timed resource to educate and guide those at greatest risk."

Responses are completely anonymous and confidential. Once the assessment is completed, the STD Wizard identifies specific risk factors and provides doctor-recommended action steps that can be printed and shared with a physician, healthcare provider or partner. The STD Wizard is free, takes about five minutes to complete and can be accessed over the Internet at hwww.stdwizard.org.

About:

The Medical Institute is a nonprofit (501c3) that empowers safe, healthy living by communicating objective and scientific sexual health information. For more information visit www.medinstitute.org.

Funding:

This project was made possible through a cooperative agreement between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Association for Prevention Teaching and Research (APTR), award number TS-1052.

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