Arizona Family Health Partnership's 'Sex FYI' Site Now In Spanish

Press release from Arizona Family Health Partnership:

Feb. 8, 2021

SEXfyi.org, a one-stop online source offering medically accurate information about sexual health including filters for a range of contraception methods, locations of health centers providing Title X services and frequently asked questions is now available in Spanish.

The website is managed by the Arizona Family Health Partnership (AFHP), the state’s designated Title X agency. The federal Title X Family Planning Program was created in 1970 to provide comprehensive and confidential family planning services and preventive sexual health services. Services include contraception counseling and provision, breast and cervical cancer screenings, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STI) and pregnancy diagnosis and counseling.

In developing the Spanish-language version of the website, AFHP’s goal was “to reach an important and growing segment of individuals who could receive Title X services,” said AFHP CEO Bré Thomas. “To ensure the language was easily accessible, culturally appropriate and accurate, we collaborated with native speakers and culturally Latinx individuals with healthcare backgrounds.”

SEXfyi.org launched in 2016 “as a single-site resource using very plain language for anyone of any age or level of education with questions about birth control,” Thomas said. “Selecting the right birth control method is a very personal and very important decision and it’s critical to have the right information, based in science, to make an informed decision. That’s exactly what SEXfyi.org does.”

The website filters birth control methods by a variety of factors including, STI prevention, most-effective, easy-to-hide and estrogen-free, among others. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) address topics including the types of services provided by Title X, confidentiality, how to schedule an appointment and the cost of services.

According to the Guttmacher Institute (www.guttmacher.org), of the 61 million U.S. women of reproductive age (15–44), about 43 million, or 70%, are at risk of unintended pregnancy. That is, they are sexually active and do not want to become pregnant, but could become pregnant if they and their partners fail to use a contraceptive method correctly and consistently.

Couples who do not use any method of contraception have approximately an 85% chance of experiencing a pregnancy over the course of a year.

Federally funded Title X services offered at 52 AFHP network health centers in 11 Arizona counties and Southern Utah provide quality comprehensive family planning and related preventive services for free or at low cost for more than 26,000 low-income women, men and teens annually.

In 2019, AFHP-provided services prevented an estimated 4,150 unintended pregnancies, which would have resulted in 1,950 unplanned births, 1,400 abortions and 790 miscarriages. Services also prevented an estimated 570 chlamydia and gonorrhea infections. During the 12-month period, more than 26,000 individuals received reproductive and sexual healthcare services.

Nationally, the Title X program serves more than 4 million individuals. Every $1.00 of public funding spent on contraceptive and preventive health services in the U.S. saves $7.09 in Medicaid costs for pregnancy and infant care. Every $1.00 of public funding spent on contraceptive and preventive health services in Arizona saves $11.27.

Title X services are free for clients with household incomes below 100% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). Costs are reduced, based on a sliding scale, for clients with household incomes up to 250% of the FPL, although clients are never turned away due to an inability to pay.

Health center services include reproductive life span plan discussions, a broad range of contraceptive methods; health screenings for sexually transmitted infections; pregnancy testing, counseling and resources; pelvic exams including Pap smears; breast exams; basic infertility screening; and emergency contraception.

For more information, visit www.sexfyi.org. For more information about the Arizona Family Health Partnership, visit www.arizonafamilyhealth.org.

This press release was produced by Arizona Family Health Partnership. The views expressed here are the author's own.