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Birmingham AIDS Outreach has become
one of the first AIDS service organizations to release a smartphone app
focusing on AIDS education and linking to other state ASOs. The free “BAO” app
debuted May 1 at the iTunes store.
BAO has been informing the public on
HIV/AIDS since its 1985 inception. Education Director Josh Bruce designed the
app to help BAO use social media to “stay up-to-date on the technology ... and
stay even better connected” to the community.
Bruce’s primary goal was to
encourage regular HIV testing, and the app boasts a statewide ASO locator that
maps out centers offering free testing and condoms. The app also offers a handy
reference guide for HIV/AIDS terms as well as updates on BAO events.
“It acts as an educational app. And
also keeping people connected to events that we are having,” said Bruce. “We do
a lot of collaborations with other organizations - for example, the AIDS Walk -
that are designed to raise awareness and educate people.”
Bruce said “a lot of people have
downloaded” and are using the app. He aims to increase its interactivity and
upgrade it to encompass testing reminders. Bruce hopes that “when people come
in to get tested, they can use their app to go ahead and set the next time they
should come in.”
BAO’s fulltime staff provides
prevention, education, testing, and legal services for people living with
and/or affected by HIV/AIDS. All BAO services are accessible via the app, which
is currently available only on iOS platforms. Bruce said an Android version is
being developed and soon will be rolled out.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is
dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and
empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV
virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
