Appendix IV
Sex-Related Web Sites For Patients/Clients/Consumers And Health Professionals

 

Internet resources are certain to change, since the medium is in its infancy. While the rapid speed of change presents a limitation in suggesting Web sites at any one time, those that are listed here are likely to remain in some form. (Like street addresses, locations may change when a move occurs but there is usually some indication of where the inhabitant has gone). At the current rate of change, Ap­pendix IV need updating by the time this book is published. As new sites are created, health profes­sionals will need to develop mechanisms for keeping information fresh for the benefit of their patients.

Rather than attempting to be comprehensive, the purpose in listing Internet sexuality resources in Appendix IV is one of suggesting a place to begin the process of investigating a particular topic. The focus is on the World Wide Web part of the Internet rather than e-mail, newsgroups, and chat rooms. Sites are selected for the information provided, for inclusion of links to other related Web sites, and for tasteful explanation and description of particular issues.


 

DiSABiLiTY

National Rehabilitation Information Center (Naric)

http://www.naric.com/naric

Funded (not operated) for many years by the Na­tional Institute for Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR): a library and information center on these two subjects serving groups that include health professionals and the lay public. The Site operates some large databases covering published information on almost any aspect of disability and rehabilitation.

Roeher Institute http://indie.ca/roeher

The Institute functions as a clearinghouse for information on disability issues in Canada and around the world. Services are used by many groups, including teachers, students, families, researchers, and government. Information ob­tained by contacting the Institute at it's e-mail address (info@roeher.ca) rather than on-line.

 

Dyspareunia (see also Chapter 13)

Dr. Glazer's Vulvodynia Web site http://www.vulvodynia.com

Dr. Glazer is a psychologist (PhD) with a special interest in biofeedback for vulvar pain syndromes. His Web site includes information about biofeed­back in the treatment of vulvar pain, a discussion group for health professionals (password re­quired), an e-mail 'list' for interested individuals, a vulvodynia bibliography, and links to related Web sites.

National Vulvodynia Association (NVA) http://www.nva.org

A nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of individuals with vulvodynia. NVA en­gages in educational activities for the public as well as affected individuals and their families, publishes a newsletter, encourages research, and is an active advocate for its members.

Erectile Dysfunction (see also Chapter 11)

htt://www.viagra.com

This Web site contains detailed product informa­tion for sildenafil (Viagra), the oral medication manufactured by Pfizer, and approved for distri­bution by the Food and Drug Administration in the United States for the treatment of erectile dysfunction.

Gender Identity (transgender, transsexual, transvestite, cross-dressing)(see also Chapter 8)

Transgender Forum http://wwwtgfmall.com/

Offers an e-zine (electronic magazine) subscrip­tion after a free view edition online. Provides in­formation about resources and links to other sites.

 

General/Health

PubMed

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/PubMed

"PubMed is a project developed by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), located at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It has been developed ... as a search tool for accessing literature citations and linking to full-text journals . . . the database . . . is drawn primarily from MEDLINE and PreMED- LINE . . . MEDLINE . . . is the . . . NLM's premier bibliographic database covering the fields of medicine, nursing, dentistry, veterinary medicine, the health care system, and the pre- clinical sciences . . . the PreMEDLINE data­base provides basic citation information and ab­stracts before the full record are prepared and added to MEDLINE." (PubMed overview)

 

General/Sexuality

http://www.jagunet.com/~dgotlib/meanstreets.htm

The site was developed as a companion piece to a published article by D. Gotlib and P. Fagan for the Journal of Sex Education and Therapy, titled "Mean Streets of Cyberspace: Sex Education Resources on the World Wide Web" (vol 22, page 79-83, 1997). The site is information oriented and has direct connections to some sex-related Web sites on the following:

     General psychiatry (e.g., information on sex­ual side effects of psychotropic drugs)

     Comprehensive sexual resources (several of which have question and answer sections such as "Go Ask Alice!")

     Sexual dysfunctions (including erectile dys­function, premature ejaculation, vulvar pain, and sexuality and cancer)

     Sexuality and disability,- and gender dysphoria and transgender issues

 

Health Professional And Sexuality Organizations

Gay and Lesbian Medical Association http://www.glma.org/

A 2000 member international organization (12 countries and 50 states in the United States) of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) physicians, medical students, and their support­ers. It's mission is to combat homophobia, pro­vide quality health care for LGBT and HlV-posi- tive people, foster a positive professional climate, and support members discriminated-against on the basis of sexual orientation. The organization provides a newsletter (which one receives after becoming a member), promotes conferences, and supports projects (e.g., on Lesbian-related research).

The Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gen­der and Reproduction http://www.indiana.edu/~kinsey

Founded in 1947 by Dr. Alfred Kinsey, a major figure and pioneer in the field of sex research, the purpose of the Institute is to promote interdisci­plinary research and scholarship in the fields of human sexuality, gender, and reproduction. The Institute has a specialized collection of resources for scholars, promotes programs in research and publication, organizes interdisciplinary confer­ences and seminars, and provides information to researchers. The Web site has an excellent list of links to other sex-related professional and public orgnizations.

The Society for the Scientific Study of Sexual­ity (SSSS)

http://www.ssc.wisc.edu/ssss/

SSSS is an international organization of over 1100 members devoted to the advancement of knowledge of sexuality. It is multidisciplinary in membership and is the oldest such group. SSSS promotes annual national and regional confer­ences, provides awards and grants, and publishes several periodicals.

World Association for Sexology(WAS)

http://www.tc.umn.edu/nlhome/m201/

colem001/was/wasindex.htm

An international organization of over 80 member organizations representing over 25 countries dedicated to "further the understanding and de­velopment of sexology throughout the world." WAS "brings individuals and organizations to­gether to share scientific information, form net­works, and promote international and intercul- tural exchange." WAS has sponsored 13 inter­national congresses.

 

INTERSEX

Intersex Society of North America (ISNA) http://www.isna.org

A peer-support, education, and advocacy group for individuals born with ambiguous genitalia,

and their parents. The Web site includes Fre­quently Asked Questions, recommendations for treatment, information about hypospadias, and detailed bibliographies. ISNA promotes an ap­proach that "is based on avoidance of harmful or unnecessary surgery, qualified professional men­tal health care . . . , and empowering the inter­sexual ... to choose (or reject) any medical intervention."

 

Menopause

(see also Chapters 5, 9, and 13)

North American Menopause Society (NAMS)

http://www.menopause.org/

NAMS is the "preeminent resource on all aspects of menopause to healthcare providers and the public." The organization is multidisciplinary, in­ternational, and nonprofit. NAMS also provides information to the public and facilitates the ex­change of information between members.

 

Reproduction

Association of Reproductive Health Profession­als (ARHP) http://www.asrm.com/

APHP is an "interdisciplinary medical profes­sional association" devoted to the education of health professionals and the public on family planning, contraception and other reproductive health issues, including sexually transmitted dis­eases, HIV, urogenital disorders, abortion, meno­pause, cancer prevention/detection, sexual health, and infertility."

Planned Parenthood Federation of America http://www.plannedparenthood.org/

Provides sexual and reproductive health informa­tion on topics such as abortion, birth control, STDs, and safer sex.

 

Safer Sex

The SaferSex Page http://safersex.org/condoms.html

Information about aspects of condom manufac­ture and use.

 

Sex Education

Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS) http://siecus.org/

SIECUS is national, private, nonprofit, and de­voted to advocacy, and the development, collec­tion, and dissemination of sexuality information.

 

Sexual Assault

(see also Chapter 8)

Domestic Violence Information Center

http://www.feminist.org/other/dv/dvhome.html

Connections to state coalitions in the United States and national organizations concerned with domestic violence. Provides hotline information about shelters, legal resources, health care centers, and counseling. Provides information on the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 and a list of Internet resources on domestic violence.

Men Assisting Leading & Educating (M.A.L.E.) http://www.malesurvivor.org/

"A nonprofit organization dedicated to healing male survivors of sexual abuse." The goals of MALE are to help men "break the isolation" as­sociated with their secrets,- provide information and linkages to other sexually abused men as well as friends and family, to provide resources and services, raise awareness, prevention through public education, and advocating for treatment of victims and offenders.

The Sexual Assault Information Page (SAIP) http://www.cs.utk.edu/~bartley/sainfoPage.html

SAIP is an information and referral service that provides information about acquaintance rape, child sexual abuse/assault, incest, rape, ritual abuse, sexual assault, and sexual harassment. The site includes a question and answer section.

Voices in Action http://voices-action.org

Voices (Victims Of Incest Can Emerge Survivors) in Action is an international nonprofit organiza­tion designed to "help victims of incest and child sexual abuse become survivors, and generate pub­lic awareness of the prevalence of incest, its im­pact, and ways in which it can be prevented or stopped through educational programs." In addi­tion, other goals include providing a clearing­house for information and resources to help victims, facilitating research, and exchanging experiences.

 

Sexual Orientation (see also Chapter 7)

Gay Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN)

http://www.GLSTN.org

A United States based organization with chap­ters in many states. Provides such items as a bibliography of children's books with gay and lesbian characters, reference materials on gay and    les­

bian youth, information on youth suicide and violence prevention, and web links to other lesbian gay and bisexual teachers organizations.

The Lesbian's Mom's Web Page http://www.lesbian.org/moms/index.htm

"This Web Site was designed to help those women . . . who want to have babies through non-traditional means, specifically lesbians." Pro­vides information on Lesbian-friendly physicians and sperm banks, information to consider about donors, insemination, terminology, health fac­tors, and insurance. First person accounts by Les­bian mom's.

National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF)

http://www.ngltf.org/

"NGLTF is the front line activist organization on the national gay and lesbian movement" . . . and "serves as the national resource center for grass­roots gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender orga­nizations . . ."

Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians

and Gays (PFLAG):

http://www.pflag.org

PFLAG has chapters in all U.S. states and many other countries, including Australia, Canada, England, France, Israel, New Zealand, Russia, and South Africa. It is devoted to support, educa­tion, and advocacy.

Partners Task Force for Gay and Lesbian Couples

http://www.buddybuddy.com

Provides information and support on issues of in­terest to same-sex couples, including legal mar­riage, relationship safeguards, immigration, sur­vey data on couples, and information lists. Also advocates for the right of same-sex couples to have the benefits of legal marriage.

Gaycanada.com http://www.cglbrd.com/

Gaycanada.com is "the Internet arm of the Cana­dian Gay, Lesbian & Bisexual Resource Directory, a not-for-profit organization supported entirely by Canadian gay and gay positive busi­nesses . . . . " The Directory "is . . . dedi­cated to the collection, compilation, and distri­bution of information important to or of relevance to the GLB communities across Canada."

Queer Resources Directory http://planetout.com/pno/netqueery

Part of a large library of information on the Inter­net on gay, lesbian, and bisexual issues. Access is via the Yahoo search engine and the link to Soci­ety and Culture. The Directory is part of a larger Web site devoted to a variety of sexual orienta­tion-related subjects.

 

Sexuality Information And Questions And Answer Services

Go Ask Alice

http://columbia.edu/cu/healthwise/about.html

Go Ask Alice is a service of Healthwise, the Health Education division of Columbia Univer­sity Health Services. Topics addressed include: sexuality and relationship issues, health and fit­ness, emotional well-being, and alcohol and other drugs.

Sexual Health InfoCenter http://www.sexhealth.org

Descriptive information that appears well deliv­ered on a variety of topics, including: "better sex," "safer sex," STDs, aging, orientation issues, and problems. Also includes survey information (their own), a "sex tip," and a question and an­swer section.

Self-Help and Psychology Magazine http://www.cybertowers.com/selfhelp/

"The largest self-help and psychology website in the world." The topics are varied but include a significant amount on sexual issues.

Dr. Ruth Online http:www.drruth.com/

The online version of the popular Dr. Ruth

Dr. Marty Kline http://SexEd.org

The site is operated by a sex therapist who is clinically active and teaches at Stanford Univer­sity Medical School.

Sexology Netline

http://home.netinc.ca/F~sexorg/index/htm

 

Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Including hiv/aids

AIDS Research Information Center (ARIC) http://www.critpath.org/aric

ARIC Inc. is a private, non-profit AIDS medical information service located in Baltimore, Mary­land. ARIC provides the following services: a public outreach program through which the or­ganization operates a mail, e-mail, and telephone hotline to answer questions from people with

AIDS or health professionals. ARIC also pub­lishes an AIDS medical glossary for laymen, pro­duces a quarterly newsletter, provides an infor­mation library on AIDS medical research and treatment, and has a resource guide for people with AIDS.

The American Social Health Association (ASHA)

http://www.sunsite.unc.edu/ASHA/

ASHA's mission is "to stop sexually transmitted diseases and their harmful consequences to indi­viduals, families, and communities." The organi­zation publishes educational materials,- raises public awareness,- operates National "hotlines" on AIDS (in English, Spanish and for the Deaf), STDs, Herpes, Resource Center, and Immuniza­tion information, and has several programs, in­cluding a Woman's Health program "to raise awareness of the disproportionate impact that STDs have on women."

The Body

http://www.thebody.com/cgi-bin/body.cgi

Described as "A Multimedia AIDS and HIV In­formation Resource." Provides information on "the basics" (e.g., testing and safe sex), treatment, conferences, quality of life, and government related information (e.g., CDC daily AIDS sum­mary).

CDC National AIDS Clearinghouse http://www.cdcnac.org/

This is a service of the Centers for Disease Con­trol and Prevention and "designed to facilitate the sharing of HIV/AIDS and STD resources and information about education and prevention, published materials, and research findings, as well as news about related trends."

The STD Home Page

http://med-www.bu.edu/people/sycamore/std/

Located on the server of Boston University School of Medicine but not affiliated with that institution or Boston Medical Center. The site was created by a medical student, Tri D. Do, and carries an "Anti-Copyright (O) 1995 " symbol. The purpose of the site is . . . "to meet the needs of East Boston High School Students . . . . " The information is " . . . factually exhaustive for non-medical persons' level of understanding.

UNAIDS

http://www.unaids.org/

Co-sponsored by several UN organizations, in­cluding UNICEF, WHO, and UNESCO. De­scribed as the main advocate for global action on HIV/AIDS. Provides extensive links to other HIV/AIDS-related organizations,- information on conferences and press releases.