It's not the kind of email anyone would relish receiving, but it's certainly direct.
"Heads up... I caught an STD since we messed around and you might have too. Please take care of yourself."
You just got told by a previous partner/hookup/spouse that you may have a sexually transmitted infection (or STD, as the infections used to be called). And while it's hardly great news, at least now you know that you need to see a doctor and you can start to get treatment.
British Columbians will soon be able to send out such emails to current and former sex partners. British Columbia's Centre for Disease Control, an agency of the Provincial Health Services Authority, has just signed on to a service called inSPOT.
The free, online service allows residents to choose from handful of e-cards in English, French or Spanish, that range in tone from serious to remorseful to humorous. Users can send out the cards anonymously or attach their name and a short message.
After delivering the bad news, the cards present information about specific infections and explain how it can be treated. The card then offers links to find locations in their area where they can get tested.
InSPOT isn't unique to B.C. The concept was originally developed in San Francisco in 2004 to combat a rise in syphilis rates among gay men.
Public health researchers there found that many of the men said that while they would be likely to tell their primary partners about their diagnosis, they would not be as likely to inform casual partners. But the men did say they would inform casual partners if there were a convenient and anonymous way to do so.
Hence, the birth of the non-profit service, run by Internet Sexuality Information Services (ISIS). In SPOT is now marketed across the U.S. and Canada. Both Toronto Public Health and Ottawa Public Health signed on a few years ago.
While the cards aren't meant to replace face-to-face discussions, Dr. Mark Gilbert, an epidemiologist at the BC Centre for Disease Control says it's hoped they will help STI carriers to pass on the information quickly to their current and former partners.
"Notifying sexual partners that they may have been exposed to a sexually transmitted infection so they can get tested is a critical component of disease prevention and control," he said in a news release.
"Anyone can use inSPOT. It doesn't require visitors to login or register to use the service. It's free, simple, and easy to use," he added.
The service is just the latest attempt by sex educators and infectious diseases experts to bring sexual ed into the modern era for young people.
Earlier this summer, Alberta Health Services took a different approach by launching a new STI awareness campaign called "Plenty of Syph."
The ad campaign drives people to PlentyofSyph.com, a tongue-in-cheek website meant to appear like an online dating site, but one that's filled with prospective dates suffering the effects of one STI or another.
Among the images of people in the late stages of syphilis is the underlying message about the dangers of the illness and other sexually transmitted infections.
Just like with the inSPOT service, info on where to get tested is also included, as well as links to more general info on STIs.
