In today’s day and age, it’s easier than ever to find a date. There are countless apps and programs that help people get set-up in any situation. And now, there’s an innovative new app called Hula.
Hula is an app that helps someone get STD tested and allows someone to see if his or her potential partner is carrying an STD. It can be awkward asking someone about an STD, which is why CEO Ramin Bastani created Hula.
Bastani told The Huffington Post, “I started the company in 2010 because a girl slapped me in the face after I asked if she’d been tested…There has to be a better way to have this conversation.”
To make a profile, the account holder must fill out paperwork to allow personal medical information to be shared. Hula experts then decode the complicated medical talk into simple “positive” or “negative” results on each profile. This allows viewers to easily understand results when looking at someone’s profile.
Hula also provides information on the closest STD clinics so that users are aware of nearby testing facilities and can keep their results up to date.
A survey in 2008 found that 110 million Americans have STDs, and there are still many that go unreported. In the U.S., 20 million new STDs are diagnosed every year, and it can cost up to $16 billion annually in medical expenses. STDs are most common in ages 15 to 24, and almost 50 percent of college students are having unprotected sex.
“I think this is a progressive way of maintaining sexual health” said Georgia Murphy, a sophomore public relations major.
Alexa Daniel, a sophomore finance major, had a more cautious take on the personal app.
“That’s too much information,” Daniel said. “I don’t think I’d want to go home with anyone after using that app.”
The app is named Hula because “it helps you get lei’d.” However, many Hawaiians have been offended by the app’s name because the Hula is a sacred and traditional dance in Hawaii. The slogan has now been removed from the website, but the name remains.
Currently, Hula is free to join, but Bastani hopes that with growing popularity he can monetize.
