Safe sex text messages may lead to better health among teens

In an effort to reach today's teenagers through a media outlet they use on a regular basis, the Baylor College of Medicine's teen health clinic is launching a text messaging program. The center's staff hope that by targeting the high-traffic of teenage use of cell phones, they will be able to encourage young people to be screened for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) on a regular basis.

Patients can gain access to the texting plan when they visit the health clinic, and will receive messages about using condoms and the importance of STD testing, according to RedOrbit.com. Users will also receive texts to remind them of upcoming appointments and send questions by phone to the clinic.

Those who sign up for the plan will receive messages twice per week about all related topics, the news source reports.

"The Teen Health Clinic is constantly searching for innovative strategies to reinforce healthy behaviors, and we're using a venue that teens are comfortable with, which is very effective," said Ruth Buzi, director of social services at the clinic. She added that "we're very excited about this texting initiative, and we hope it can help reduce both sexual and nonsexual risks."

The number of teenagers and young adults with STDs such as chlamydia is growing rapidly. This disease is the most common among teens and young adults, as approximately 670,000 cases were reported among men aged 15 to 24 years in 2008, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.