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Designing a youth-friendly STI testing experience.


MICA Center for Social Design + Johns Hopkins Center for Child and Community Health Research + Baltimore City Health Department (BCHD)



Design Challenge
In 2012, youth represented 70% of new STDs reported to BCHD.

To address the wide range of barriers to STI testing and treatment in Baltimore, BCHD and Johns Hopkins Center for Child and Community Health Research recognized the need for new youth-centered approaches.

Design Response 
From 2016 to 2017, I led a team of MICA students through a human-centered design process in collaboration with Baltimore youth, clinicians, and health educators. 

Together we designed and implemented new youth-friendly registration forms and environmental graphics for BCHD clinics as well as an overarching campaign to promote youth STI testing called “Stay Sexy, Stay Healthy, Get Checked.”

Learn More
Role: Project Lead & Lead Faculty

Project team: Sheldon Allen, Matt Barr, Jayne Chartrand, Valeria Fuentes, Maria Garcia-Diaz, Brittany Griffin, Devika Menon, Patricia Natalie, Molly Reddy, Rachel Serra, Irina Wong, Cynthia Zhu

Partners: Brittany Bryan, C. Patrick Chaulk, MD, MPH, Vira David-Rivera, Suzanne Grieb, Ph.D., MSPH, Charlotte Hager, Jacky Jennings, Ph.D., MPH, Dr. Luke Johnsen, DO, Sophie Meade, Glenn Olthoff, Dr. Kathleen Page, MD

Funded through the CDC grant “Community Approaches to Reducing STIs” (U22 PS004541-01)


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