Get yourself tested: Planned Parenthood, MTV, Kaiser Family Foundation use multimedia approach to promote STD testing for young people to reduce alarming STD infection rates

Planned Parenthood of Southeast Ohio is proud to participate in a nationwide campaign with MTV and the Kaiser Family Foundation and to officially unveil "œGYT: Get Yourself Tested," a campaign to increase testing and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among those under 25 years of age.

GYT kicks off with a mix of promotions on-air, online and in the real world that will unfold throughout this month in recognition of National STD Awareness Month.

The central hub of the campaign, GYT09.org, will provide comprehensive information about STDs and will direct users to the nearest testing location simply by entering a zip code. A mobile companion to GYT09.org, the GYT short code (49809), provides details about local testing locations to mobile phones by texting a zip code.

"Most people would be shocked to hear that, by age 25, one in two sexually active young people will have an STD. This is not just a statistic, but the reality of what Planned Parenthood health centers see every day," said Planned Parenthood Federation of America President Cecile Richards. "The GYT campaign is an excellent opportunity for people to learn what Planned Parenthood knows - that affordable testing and treatment and education are the tools teens and young people need to stay healthy and safe."

An all-star collective of pop culture personalities are carrying the GYT message far and wide, appearing in a series of attention-getting on-air and online promotions on MTV and other MTV Network properties this month; blasting out GYT on Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms; wearing GYT on their chest and sleeves; and of course, going to get tested for STDs.

From OMG to LOL, acronyms saturate young people's everyday vernacular, acting as common methods of communication. Playing off mobile and Web slang, GYT is an easy way for young people to talk about sexual health and getting tested for STDs. GYT will help young people internalize the risk of STDs and eliminate taboos and stigmas surrounding STDs and STD testing.