Sexual Health iPhone Apps

Discussion

In the business of communicable disease prevention, we learn from mistakes, we bring ideas together in a collaboration, we evaluate the  new idea and then return to the drawing board to make it more effective. When it comes to altering human behavior, reinventing the wheel is an important strategy and element to success. Although there are a few apps out there, we still dont have one that is Australia specific combining the strengths of apps like the ones discussed here.

Recommendations

I would combine the strengths of these 3 apps and add a “Sexual Health Clinic Finder” in addition to the “free condom” finder. Of course the content of the app in terms of sexual health information must be authenticated by a professional body and delivered through the consultations with health communications experts.

It is also important to provide statistical information, to show the high rates of infection and the likelihood of transmission as a direct influence of risk taking behavior.

As previously reviewed, the STDiq App has a good “Risk Checker” that can give you a practical idea of how certain risk behaviors affect disease transmission. It also comes with a good set of videos (from their YouTube Channel) that was designed by a film maker and behavioral scientist at the US Centre for Disease Control.

If you’re interested in the literature and work around mHealth, here’s a good example.