Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2002. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
 |
San Francisco Examiner - April 4, 2002
Tanya Pampalone Of The Examiner Staff
That is the message the Department of Public Health is sending with its "Castroguys Spring Cleaning" program, which begins Friday and continues through April.
The DPH is working with sex clubs to promote STD testing and prevention among sexually-active gay and bisexual men in the Castro and South of Market.
Local sex clubs are offering free admission to men who get tested at one of the DPH facilities -- at the City Clinic on 7th Street, or in the DPH mobile-testing van, which will travel to the target areas four nights a week -- as part of the program's community rewards incentives.
A steady rise in STD and HIV rates among gay and bisexual men prompted the effort, DPH community health specialist Larry Hanbrook said.
Hanbrook said reported cases of syphilis increased from 41 cases in 1998 to a high of 190 in 2001. Local health officials estimate HIV cases doubled over the past few years, with 1,000 new cases in 2001.
The campaign follows findings that 14 percent of gay men engage in sex without condoms, according to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published in the March issue of the journal AIDS.
The study involved 554 gay or bisexual men living in San Francisco. It revealed the most frequently cited reason for barebacking was to experience greater physical stimulation and an increased emotional connection to their partner.
Studies like these concern local officials and are spurring campaigns targeting the gay and bisexual community.
STD testing was more common in the gay community before the AIDS epidemic, Hanbrook said, but has taken a back seat to HIV testing.
"If you've got something that makes you itch or drip but isn't going to kill you, it makes (STD testing) seem less important," said Holbrook. STD testing should not be forsaken, he said.
Those with an STD are three to five more times more likely to be infected with HIV, and those who are already HIV-positive and have an STD can become more severely infected.
Hanbrook has been working with local sex clubs and community organizations, such as the AIDS Health Project, local merchants and the wellness group Castroguys, to incorporate various reward incentives for those who go to get tested.
Merchants like Castro's Books Inc. and South of Market leather community favorite, Mr. S. Leather, offer various discounts to those who show they have been tested.
But nothing beats the free sex club admission, which could save clubgoers up to $15. That will have some Castro guys heartily singing the DPH campaign slogan: "I did it for the money."
E-mail Tanya Pampalone at tpampalone@sfexaminer.com
020404
SE020403
Copyright © 2002 - San Francisco Examiner. All rights reserved. Reproduced with permission. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the San Francisco Examiner, Permissions Desk, 110 Fifth Street, P.O. Box 7260, San Franciso, CA 94120.
AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted grants from Boehringer Ingelheim, Elton John AIDS Foundation, iMetrikus, Inc., John M. Lloyd Foundation, the National Library of Medicine, and donations from users like you. Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2002. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
Copyright ©1980, 2002. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .