Youth in the Vitebsk region prefer to book appointments with a venereologist online

February 16, Vitebsk / Olga Bogacheva - BELTA /. Young people in the Vitebsk region increasingly prefer to book appointments with a venereologist online. This was announced today to journalists by Viktor Spiridonov, chief physician of the Vitebsk Regional Clinical Dermatovenerologic Dispensary, at a press conference dedicated to the Unified Health Day "Prevention of Sexually Transmitted Infections," which will be held in Belarus on February 18, according to a BELTA correspondent. Thus, if in 2009 almost 100 people used the opportunity to book an appointment with a dermatovenerologic dispensary doctor, then in the first month and a half of this year, about 20 people did so. Moreover, these are mainly young people, the chief physician noted. The gradually increasing level of public access to the Internet, the computerization of medical institutions, and the introduction of telemedicine into medical practice have made it possible to significantly increase awareness of reproductive health issues and the accessibility of medical care. This has proven to be particularly relevant for young people, the most active users of the World Wide Web, Viktor Spiridonov noted. Specialists of the Vitebsk Regional Dermatovenerologic Dispensary have been providing free online consultations on their website for more than five years. Over the past year, they have responded to more than 400 inquiries. And this work is bearing fruit: in recent years, the region has seen a steady decrease in the incidence of sexually transmitted infections. In addition, more than 50% of visits by young people to a venereologist are for preventive purposes, the specialist added. -0-