SAFE App Changing How People Talk About STDs and Encourages Testing

The CDC reported that there were more than 20 million STD infections in 2017, with over 300,000 Californians diagnosed with chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis in that same year.

With STD rates on the rise throughout the nation, it’s imperative to take critical action to ensure a healthy sex life.

More than half of the new infections were found in 15 to 24-year olds, which means by 2020, 50 percent of women and 40 percent of men will have a chronic STD. It’s not easy to have a healthy sex life with 48 percent of millennials never using condoms.

However, a new mobile app was developed to learn about their and their partners’ STD status.

The app is called SAFE (Sexual Accountability for Everyone). It’s designed to create a reason for people to get regular STD testing. Ken Mayer is the CEO and founder of SAFE. He said it was designed to help people protect themselves by getting tested.

A person’s healthcare provider will upload the information to the platform where it can be accessed right away. It’s private and offers people are a way to show their STD status from their doctor or the lab. President and Co-Founder of SAFE Group Lauren Weiniger said the idea was to make it easy for people to get tested for STDs.

It’s changing the way people are talking about STDs.

Mayer said the mere mention of STD can make people cringe, especially if they’re dating someone new. However, it’s important people are aware of each other’s statuses before they start to have sex. Rather than asking a partner if they have an STD or were tested, a person can ask their partner is they are SAFE.

The U.S. alone has about 110 million STD infections. And, using SAFE means users can set up testings, get their results and if they test positive, can get referrals and treatment options. SAFE can close the gap between patients and doctors and ensure people get the care they need.

The SAFE app can be downloaded from the iTunes App Store and offers more than 10,000 locations that offer testing. The goal of the SAFE app is to reduce the number of people infected with an STD and get people the treatment they need if they are positive for an STD.