Venus

Abstract

Online HIV testing seems not to impair condom use and HIVrelated knowledge One of the concerns about online testing for sexually transmitted infections is that we lose the opportunity to provide targeted health advice to higher-risk groups. A serial questionnaire-based study administered to men who have sex with men (MSM) testing online at getcheckedonline. com and at a sexual health clinic in Vancouver has shown that baseline knowledge about HIV and condom use behaviours were the same in both groups and they are no different 3 months post-testing. The website was designed by healthcare professionals and incorporated targeted, evidence-based educational material. It is important when commissioning services to consider the value of this component of an online testing service, rather than simply offering tests alone.