Using Facebook to Assist Individuals in Making Informed Decisions about Their Sexual Health

Background: The internet is an accessible source of sexual health information.

Objectives: To describe the implementation of Facebook to enhance the education and testing efforts of the Durham County North Carolina Syphilis Elimination Project.

Methods: In April 2009, the Durham County Syphilis Elimination Project implemented a social media campaign using Facebook entitled Knowing Is Sexy (KISS). Data was collected using the insight features of Facebook.

Results: Since April 19, 2009, 485 individuals subscribed as fans of the KISS Facebook page. At 53%, individuals aged 25-34 make up the largest segment of fans, followed by 13-24 at 30%. At 71%, there are more females than males who joined. There were three individuals who unsubscribed as fans.

Conclusions: Using a social networking site like Facebook is a feasible tool in increasing awareness of sexually transmitted diseases.

Implications for Programs, Policy, and/or Research: As a cost effective tool, social networking sites offer an innovative approach in promoting sexually transmitted disease prevention and testing. Future research should further assess the behavioral effects of social networking sites on sexually transmitted disease prevention efforts.