In Sweden, potential STD sufferers have their condition assessed with anonymous photo submissions

STDTriage enables smartphone users to simply send an anonymous image of their intimate condition to a doctor, who will respond within 24 hours.

Statistics show that teenagers and young adults are almost around four times as likely to catch chlamydia than the general population. We’ve already seen medical bodies such as the UK’s NHS Hounslow offer chlamydia test results by text message with the aim to engage young people with health issues, and now STDTriage is enabling smartphone users to simply send an anonymous image of their intimate condition to a doctor, who will respond within 24 hours. Rather than an embarrassing trip to the sex clinic, those downloading the app – which was created by Sweden-based iDoc24 for STD Awareness Month this month – can submit an image of symptoms they believe may be caused by sexual transmission. Although the app encourages patients to fill out information about their sex habits and existing conditions, the process is anonymous and the uploading procedure is secure. The service promises to reply within 24 hours with information about what the cause may be and how it should be treated. If the condition can be remedied with over-the-counter products, the app saves the patient a trip to the doctor and reduces pressure on clinics that could be dealing with more urgent cases. STDTriage is free to download from the App Store. Are there other conditions that could use diagnosis apps in a similar way? Spotted by: Smith Alan