The STAR Program at SUNY Downstate Launches “Faster Than” Campaign to Promote Testing for Hepatitis C

BROOKLYN, N.Y. (AUGUST 18, 2020) – The Special Treatment and Research (STAR) Program at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University has just launched a new marketing effort to raise awareness about hepatitis C virus (HCV). The #FasterThan campaign, as it is known, is an effort of STAR’s Hepatitis C Program, which is coordinated by Alecia Charles, MPH. The campaign was designed by Jose Iorio, who directs the STAR Program’s social media and marketing activities.

HCV is one of the leading health problems in Brooklyn, and left untreated, HCV can cause serious liver damage, including liver cancer. The STAR Health Center, the STAR Program’s ambulatory care program, has provided specialized HCV care from doctors, counselors, and peer educators for nearly 15 years. Services include HCV screening, comprehensive HCV medical care by physicians with specific expertise in HCV, HCV anti-viral therapy and monitoring in consultation with a gastroenterologist or hepatologist, post-treatment evaluation and management, mental health services, nutritional education, substance use treatment and referrals, and peer education.The mission of the #FasterThan campaign is to change the narrative around HCV testing and treatment. Too often HCV ads scare people away with their medical terms and morbid effects. The campaign’s goal is to normalize HCV testing within the community and create an urgency for routine testing among providers. The campaign will accomplish its mission by creating relatable tag lines that everyday people can identify with (e.g., “the wait (for getting tested) is #fasterthan a coffee run”). STAR hopes that the connection made to the ad generates a call to action. The campaign will also encourage health care providers to be intentional about educating their patients on HCV, offering the test as part of a comprehensive screening for sexually transmitted infections by pairing it with HIV screening and other routine testing. Campaign ads will be featured on dating apps and social media platforms. Visit www.FasterThan.org for a preview of the new campaign.

About the STAR Program

The STAR Program (www.starprogram.nyc) was initially established in 1991 with the initial overall goal of integrating HIV-related care, research, and clinical education. Over the last three decades, the STAR Health Center has expanded beyond HIV care, offering primary care, hepatitis C (HCV) screening and treatment, PrEP, PEP, behavioral health services, harm reduction, buprenorphine treatment, an LGBTQ wellness program, and re-entry services for those released from incarceration. The STAR Program provides multiple HIV training programs for healthcare providers, and participates in multiple research programs, including the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study/Women’s Interagency HIV Study Combined Cohort Study (MACS/WIHS-CCS).

About SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University

SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University is the borough’s only academic medical center for health education, research, and patient care, and is a 342-bed facility serving the healthcare needs of New York City, and Brooklyn’s 2.6 million residents. University Hospital of Brooklyn (UHB) is Downstate’s teaching hospital, backed by the expertise of an outstanding medical school and the research facilities of a world-class academic center. More than 800 physicians, representing 53 specialties and subspecialties—many of them ranked as tops in their fields—comprise Downstate’s staff.

A regional center for cardiac care, neonatal and high-risk infant services, pediatric dialysis, and transplantation, Downstate also houses a major learning center for children with physical ailments or neurological disorders. In addition to UHB, Downstate comprises a College of Medicine, College of Nursing, School of Health Professions, a School of Graduate Studies, a School of Public Health, and a multifaceted biotechnology initiative, including the Downstate Biotechnology Incubator and BioBAT for early-stage and more mature companies, respectively. For more information, visit www.downstate.edu or follow us on Twitter at @sunydownstate.

Categorised in: News

This post was written by suny-admin