Social Media and HIV/STD Health Disparities in Texas

SXSW Interactive ConferenceMarch 13, 2011Austin, Texas

HIV/STD Health Disparities in Texas

• HIV►Rate is ~7x higher for African Americans than whites►Rate is ~12x higher for African American women than white women

• Syphilis►Rate is ~14x higher for African Americans than whites

• Gonorrhea►Rate is ~13x higher for African Americans than whites

• Chlamydia►Rate is ~6x higher for African Americans than whites

Source: DSHS HIV and STD Surveillance Reports (2009)

Social Media Considerations for State Government

• Accessibility• Privacy/Confidentiality • Record Retention• Social Media = Public Information• Third-Party Sites/Terms of Service• Bureaucracy: Nature of the Beast

SMS as Component of “Fight HIV” campaign

SMS Tags

Greater Than AIDS Movement

Social Media Components of Greater Than AIDS

inSPOT: An Online Partner Self-Notification System

Thank you!

Greg Beets512-533-3025

greg.beets@dshs.state.tx.us