Seen On Da Streets

The project examined the effectiveness of providing community-based outreach and health education on increasing male STD screening in urban neighborhoods. Clinic outreach workers provided sexually-transmitted disease education and risk assessment in community settings, and collected data on 9,701 contacts in a 40 month period. The majority (89%) were African Americans, most (84%) were 15 to 20 years old, and 94% reported being sexually active. Compared with the year prior to the project, actual STD testing at the clinics doubled. This study suggests community outreach is a promising approach to reach young to reduce racial disparities in STD infections.