SAN FRANCISCO - An advertising campaign featuring cartoon characters shaped like male genitalia encouraged more men to get tested for syphilis in San Francisco, according to a new study.

 

In the neighborhoods where the Health Penis ads ran on billboards and bus shelters, men who saw the comic strips were most likely to have been tested for the sexually transmitted disease, according to researchers from the city’s Department of Public Health.

 

The health department sponsored the humorously risque ads between 2002 and 2005 to combat rising syphilis rates among gay and bisexual men.

 

Between 40 percent and 60 percent of survey respondents who were aware of the ads said they had been tested in the previous six months, department researchers reported Tuesday in the online journal Public Library of Science Medicine.

 

 

Although the campaign was not without controversy — an outdoor advertising company initially refused to post the spots — infection rates have since declined, officials said.

 

“We took a risk, and that risk paid off,” said Jacqueline McCright, a sexually transmitted diseases services manager with the health department.

 

The campaign’s success has inspired Seattle, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and Palm Springs, Calif., to use similar ads.

 

:uhoh:

:laugh2:

 

http://www.healthypenis.org !

 

 

That... is something I had never thought I would see.

 

 

 

right on Castro street.

:freak:

:mark::rolleyes:

 

I know I should say something intelligent here...but...but...*snicker*

eh.

 

 

I dunno, this could shoulda maybe belongs in the news threads?

You know...I meant to put it there.

 

Gawd I'm brain dead tonight.

is that right?

 

 

have you er... gotten tested?

 

 

I thought brain dead-ness came hand in hand with syphilis :uhoh:

oh shit

:tongue:

I'm kind of wondering why I clicked on this thread now.

LET THE RECORD SHOW THAT CRYSTAL INSINUATED RAY HAS SYPHILIS

Record: Crystal [ClearAsCrystal] Did in fact on December 10th, 2006 insinuate that [Rayman] has Syphilis.

 

Whether or not this insinuation is true or false (verifications have not been made) is unknown. One can only guess....

Record: Crystal [ClearAsCrystal] Did in fact on December 10th' date=' 2006 insinuate that [Rayman'] has Syphilis.

 

Whether or not this insinuation is true or false (verifications have not been made) is unknown. One can only guess....

i think that may find it's way into my sig here in a moment

:cheesy:

interesting sig you have there ray. the truth is out there.

 

 

eh, if the advertisements are working, i see no problem with it though they really are focusing on gay men a little too much.

Thus it works it San Fran, I suppose..

yeah, I mean... the rainbows..Castro reference. People OTHER than gays get Syphilis. But I guess that they picked a target and stuck to it.

ok.,...better edit it

I'm sure glad this thread came along after alias day...it would have gone right to hell in a handbasket 2 days ago!:lol:

 

EDIT: Love the new Sig, Ray!

LET THE RECORD SHOW THAT CRYSTAL INSINUATED RAY HAS SYPHILIS

:laugh3: Not just syphilis, but brain rotting advanced Neuro syphilis, which means he's had it for quite some time now.

 

I still remember this neurologist I know having to tell a family that their granny aged 87 did not have alzheimers but in fact had advanced neuro syphilis. The look on their faces. :stunned:

Oh no.

 

I'm having an "i can't read day" today..

 

 

This thread was above "[The Alias Day]"

So i read "The Penis Day"

 

 

:disappointed:

xDDD

 

I don't know which one would be weirder, Penis Day or Alias Day.

Well ya might as well call Alias Day Penis Day.....judging on all the things everyone was saying...:laugh3:

wow, I love Ray's new sig. :kiss: