(P209) TRENDS IN INTERNET SEARCHES FOR STI SERVICES USING NATIONAL PREVENTION INFORMATION NETWORK

Background:
The National Prevention Information Network (NPIN) is a website (npin.cdc.gov) where users can find information and resources about STIs and search for nearby STI services. NPIN powers the searches for STI testing for other websites, such as the CDC "GetTested" website, using the NPIN application programming interface (API). Understanding how people search for STI testing services online is an understudied gap in literature. In this paper, we aim to understand which populations are online seeking STI services and how external events impact search behavior.

Methods:
Search queries from 2021-2024 from the NPIN API were analyzed. The search queries contain zip code, collated date of search, and website of origin. Zip codes were mapped to geographic location (50 states plus DC and Puerto Rico) and linked to 2020 Census population data. Searches per one hundred thousand population were compared across states. We compared monthly (monthly smooths collation clusters) search volume before, during, and after STI Awareness Week (April 9-15, 2023).

Results:
From June 2021 to March 2024, 2,184,065 searches were performed through the NPIN API. The 5 geographies with the lowest searches per one hundred thousand population were Puerto Rico (221.7), Idaho (414.2), Wisconsin (445.1), Hawaii (494.7), and Oregon (499.9), and the 5 geographies with the highest were DC (4013.6), Maine (936.1), Kansas (902.0), Delaware (889.5), and Vermont (835.4). In 2023, searches peaked in April at 87,784 searches, which was 36.5% and 24.2% greater than searches in March and May, respectively. 28.3% of the search increase from March to April originates from a District of Columbia zip code.

Conclusion:
Differences in NPIN usage per state reflect potential disparities in access to or knowledge of online health resources. Strategies for engaging states with lower usage should be studied. These results may highlight the impact of local campaigns during STI Awareness Week.