The Australian site aims to improve wellbeing among LGBTI people.
A new website aims to improve the health and wellbeing of LGBTI Australians by providing targeted information on drugs, alcohol, and mental and sexual health.
Supplied / TouchBase
Called TouchBase, the site is a joint initiative of the Victorian AIDS Council, the Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations and the Australian Drug Foundation.
TouchBase is intended to be a "comprehensive resource" where LGBTI people can find targeted information about a range of health and wellbeing factors.
The information on the site is tailored specifically for LGBTI people, linking patterns of mental health, drug use, medication and sex in the community.
"We've created TouchBase to address gaps in existing information for LGBTI people," said Victorian Aids Council CEO Simon Ruth.
"It's a unique website, because LGBTI people have different drug-using norms — we use drugs in different patterns, we have different concerns, people have been dealing with different issues throughout their lives."
Rates of drug and alcohol use are higher among LGBTI people than the general population.
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Bill O'Loughlin, president of Harm Reduction Victoria, said TouchBase would help ameliorate the stigma associated with drugs.
"Drug use is a part of life for many in our LGBTIQ community and it's great that our organisations are helping us to talk about it in our own ways. We need to shift from the silence, secrecy, taboos and shame associated with drug use because it is harmful," he said.
"We need to know and talk about how to look after ourselves and others when we use drugs, for example how to use and inject safely, and how to look after those who might get into difficulty."