Promoting safe sex using HIPAA compliant email

STIs remain a major public health concern. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2.5 million cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis were reported in the U.S. in 2021 alone, a steady increase over the past several years. Among these, young people (ages 15–24) accounted for nearly half of all new infections.

Further, the CDC notes that gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) continue to experience disproportionately high rates of HIV and syphilis. Communities of color are also affected by health inequities that limit access to testing, treatment, and education.

These statistics demonstrate the importance of safe sex promotion. However, traditional outreach methods such as flyers, posters, or in-person seminars often fail to reach today’s tech-savvy population, especially in rural or underserved areas. Email campaigns provide a scalable, cost-effective, and direct communication channel. When done using HIPAA compliant email platforms, they also ensure legal and ethical protection of sensitive health information.

What is safe sex promotion?

Safe sex promotion refers to public health efforts aimed at educating individuals and communities about how to engage in sexual activity in ways that reduce the risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), unintended pregnancies, and other negative health outcomes.

Goals of safe sex promotion

According to the World Health Organization, “Sexuality education equips children and young people with the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values that help them to protect their health, develop respectful social and sexual relationships, make responsible choices and understand and protect the rights of others. Evidence consistently shows that high-quality sexuality education delivers positive health outcomes, with lifelong impacts. Young people are more likely to delay the onset of sexual activity – and when they do have sex, to practice safer sex – when they are better informed about their sexuality, sexual health and their rights. Sexuality education also helps them prepare for and manage physical and emotional changes as they grow up, including during puberty and adolescence, while teaching them about respect, consent and where to go if they need help. This in turn reduces risks from violence, exploitation and abuse.”

Why use email to promote safe sex?

Digital reach and engagement

According to Statista, 94% of U.S. adults use the internet, “Many of whom could no longer imagine a life without it.” Young adults, those most at risk for STIs, are also highly connected, making email a perfect medium for reaching them with safe sex messages.

Furthermore, according to the study, The effectiveness of digital sexual health interventions for young adults: a systematic literature review (2010–2020), “Literature indicates that digital sexual health interventions deliver several advantages. First, it can reach at-risk or marginalized populations without compromising their privacy and safety. It also increases cost-effectiveness and efficiency for service providers with limited budgets for facilitator training and materials. Second, interactive computer-based interventions increase user engagement and deliver prompt feedback, are less threatening to patients, and provide greater anonymity to users than face-to-face modes. Third, in countries where sexual issues are taboo, web-based strategies are highly relevant in providing user anonymity and widespread dissemination of sexual health information to youth at low costs.”

Read also: The cross-generational use of email in healthcare

Privacy-sensitive communication

Topics like STIs, contraception, and sexual orientation can be deeply personal. Patients may feel embarrassed or stigmatized discussing these in person. HIPAA compliant emails allow for discreet delivery of sexual health content without compromising privacy.

According to the study, New digital media interventions for sexual health promotion among young people: a systematic review, “The anonymity, convenience and accessibility afforded by text messaging, web access and video streaming provides significant potential for innovative interventions to reach communities and individuals otherwise disconnected from mainstream services.” HIPAA compliant tools ensure this anonymity is legally protected.

Strategic use cases for HIPAA compliant email in safe sex campaigns

Sexual health education campaigns

Emails can be used to send short, engaging, and visually appealing educational content such as:

• “How to Use a Condom Correctly”
• “Top 5 STI Myths Debunked”
• “What Consent Really Means”

Read also: Are educational email campaigns part of marketing?

STI testing reminders and screenings

Regular screening is a key part of safe sex practices. Healthcare providers can send secure reminders such as:

• “Time for your annual STI check-up; book now”
• “You’re due for a follow-up HIV screening”

Research by Karen E. Mark et al., titled Internet and Email Use Among STD Clinic Patients, found that 57% of their participants “were willing to receive an email reminding them to come back for a follow-up appointment if diagnosed with an STD.”

Read also: Are appointment reminder emails HIPAA compliant?

Post-visit follow-up and support

Following a consultation or screening, providers can use email to:

• Share lab results via secure links
• Provide safe sex resources or referrals
• Offer mental health support or peer counseling contacts

The study Email consultations in health care: 1—scope and effectiveness, published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, found that email communication can enhance patient understanding, recall, and engagement. It achieves this by offering a written record of medical advice and information for patients to revisit at their leisure. When providers follow up with an email containing key insights, additional resources, or answers to frequently asked questions, they reinforce essential information, which improves comprehension. This demonstrates how email serves as a structured and documented way to easily share important details before, during, and after appointments.

Go deeper: HIPAA compliant email for patient follow-up after treatment

Promoting free resources and community events

Providers can also advertise:

• Condom distribution days
• HIV awareness walks
• Sex education webinars
• Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) sign-up campaigns

By using HIPAA compliant systems, organizations can tailor these emails based on demographics or past participation while maintaining legal safeguards.

Best practices for safe sex email campaigns

To maximize effectiveness while remaining HIPA compliant, healthcare organizations should follow these best practices:

Obtain patient consent

Before sending any health-related emails, especially those involving sexual health, written patient authorization is required under the HIPAA Privacy Rule. This is specifically applicable if the use or disclosure of PHI is “not for treatment, payment or health care operations or otherwise permitted or required by the Privacy Rule.”

Use secure email platforms

To ensure the privacy of patient information, providers must use email platforms specifically designed for the healthcare sector. These platforms offer automatic encryption, access controls, and audit logging, ensuring that emails containing protected health information (PHI) are securely transmitted and stored. Additionally, they sign business associate agreements (BAAs), which are required under HIPAA to formalize their role in handling PHI on behalf of healthcare entities.

Keep subject lines neutral

Avoid disclosing PHI in subject lines. Use general phrases like:

• “Your Health Update”
• “From Your Healthcare Provider”

Segment audiences and personalize responsibly

Use data responsibly to segment audiences by age, gender, or sexual activity, but ensure that message content doesn't reveal protected details unless secure and authorized.

Include opt-out and contact options

Allow patients to unsubscribe or contact your privacy officer. Transparency builds trust and aligns with HIPAA’s requirement to respect patient communication preferences.

See also: HIPAA compliant email marketing: What you need to know

Using Paubox

Paubox is a HIPAA compliant email platform designed specifically for healthcare organizations that need to send secure, encrypted emails without sacrificing user experience. Unlike traditional encrypted email services that require recipients to log in to a portal, Paubox delivers encrypted messages directly to the recipient’s inbox, just like a regular email. This frictionless approach increases open rates, improves engagement, and simplifies communication, especially when promoting sensitive topics like safe sex.

Paubox includes key features that support both compliance and communication goals:

• Automatic encryption by default (no need for users to click on external portals)
• Signed business associate agreement (BAA)
• Spam filtering and email archiving
• Protection against phishing and malware
• Seamless integration with existing email clients like Gmail and Outlook

Paubox is ideal for sending safe sex educational campaigns, STI testing reminders, and confidential follow-up messages. Providers can safely share content such as condom usage guides, STI prevention tips, and links to secure scheduling pages while still meeting HIPAA requirements. 

See also: Paubox products: In-depth feature analysis

FAQS

Why do I need HIPAA compliant email to promote safe sex?

Because sexual health information may be considered protected health information (PHI), sending educational or personalized messages without proper safeguards can violate HIPAA. HIPAA compliant email ensures patient privacy is protected while allowing you to promote safe sex effectively.

How can I measure the success of a safe sex email campaign?

Use HIPAA compliant analytics tools to track:

• Open and click-through rates
• Appointment scheduling conversions
• Increases in STI testing or resource downloads

Lastly, be sure that the analytics platform used also meets HIPAA requirements.

What should I do if a patient unsubscribes from safe sex emails?

Immediately remove them from future communications related to that campaign. HIPAA requires that you respect communication preferences. Use email platforms that provide automated opt-out handling to stay compliant.

Go deeper: What to do when an individual revokes authorization