Study: STD services offered in bars prove effective

Gay and bisexual men respond favorably to sexually transmitted disease testing and other health outreach programs offered in gay bars and nightclubs, according to a study of New York City men presented this week at the National STD Prevention Conference in Philadelphia, GayHealth.com reports. The health outreach events, which included HIV antibody testing, STD screenings, vaccinations for hepatitis A and B, and smoking cessation programs, were offered four times at two gay bars and a gay community center in the city in November and December. A total of 930 men attended the events, including nearly 70 of whom were tested on-site for HIV infection. One third of the men who attended the events ultimately received one or more of the services available. "These findings reinforce the need for specially tailored STD prevention programs that address the needs of men who have sex with men" in venues that are welcoming and easily accessible, said John Douglas, director of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's STD prevention activities.