RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC -- The American Social Health Association (ASHA), a trusted nonprofit organization dedicated to improving public health outcomes with a focus on preventing sexually transmitted diseases and their harmful outcomes since 1914, has announced the launch of its newly re-designed Web site at www.ashastd.org.

ASHA’s Web site provides accurate, unbiased sexual health information on topics such as sexually transmitted diseases including herpes and HPV, HIV/AIDS, condoms, and other sensitive health issues. In 2004 alone, the site received over 1.8 million unique visitors and 144 million hits.

"Today, the Internet serves as a front-line resource for people in the United States and around the world to find information quickly and easily,” says James R. Allen, MD, MPH, president and CEO of ASHA.  “We want our Web site to be a source of useful, reliable information to a wide variety of users - those who want information about sexual health, sexual education, sexually transmitted infections, and health policy issues.”

Since ASHA’s Web site is primarily information-driven, maximizing accessibility through intuitive navigation is key. ARCHESITE, the agency that designed the new look and layout, considered accessibility to be of paramount importance.

Sherry Bastion of ARCHESITE explains, “Those familiar with ASHA will receive the same excellent information and support that they have always had, but we have streamlined the presentation so that users can enjoy a state of the art Web site and easier access to sensitive, critical health information.”

Educational pages now include the opportunity for instant feedback to ensure the content is comprehensive and helpful, and the site features a number of quick polls, designed to gather opinions on relevant topics, such as STD screening. Improved features allow individuals or organizations to more easily order ASHA publications, brochures, books, and reports.

ASHA’s Herpes Resource Center and HPV & Cervical Cancer Prevention Resource Center are now accessible from the homepage.

The Herpes Resource Center has provided specialized, in-depth education and support to those concerned about herpes for over 25 years.  Services include a national network of support groups, quarterly newsletter and other publications, an email response service, and the National Herpes Hotline. 

ASHA’s HPV & Cervical Cancer Prevention Resource Center addresses the multiple issues and challenges associated with HPV and cervical cancer prevention in the United States. The Center offers a network of support groups, an email response service, and a bimonthly electronic newsletter called HPV e-News.

Education and support are crucial in addressing the epidemic. There are over 15 million new cases of STDs in the U.S. each year and an estimated 65 million people with a viral STD such as herpes, HPV, or HIV.