Communicating health information through the entertainment media

Health Affairs

Volumn 20, Issue 1, 2001, Pages 192-199

  Brodie, Mollyann ^a   Foehr, Ursula ^b   Rideout, Vicky ^a   Baer, Neal ^c   Miller, Carolyn ^d   Flournoy, Rebecca ^d   Altman, Drew ^d  

^a HENRY J KAISER FAMILY FOUNDATION   (United States)

^b STANFORD UNIVERSITY   (United States)

^c Special Victims Unit

^d Special Victims Unit ^*

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

ADULT; AGE; ARTICLE; ATTITUDE TO HEALTH; EDUCATIONAL STATUS; EVALUATION; FEMALE; HEALTH EDUCATION; HUMAN; INCOME; INFORMATION PROCESSING; LITERATURE; MALE; METHODOLOGY; STATISTICS; TELEPHONE; TELEVISION; UNITED STATES; UTILIZATION REVIEW;

ADULT; AGE FACTORS; DATA COLLECTION; DRAMA; EDUCATIONAL STATUS; FEMALE; HEALTH EDUCATION; HEALTH KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES, PRACTICE; HUMANS; INCOME; MALE; TELEPHONE; TELEVISION; UNITED STATES;

EID: 1542312919     PISSN: 02782715     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.20.1.192     Document Type: Article

References (22)

1. Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation/National Association of Black Journalists, National Survey on Blacks, Media, and Health (Menlo Park, Calif.: Kaiser Family Foundation, July 1998); M. Brodie et al., What's the Diagnosis? Latinos, Media, and Health (Menlo Park, Calif.: Kaiser Family Foundation, June 1998); and M. Brodie et al., "Perceptions of Latinos, African Americans, and Whites on Media as a Health Information Source," Howard Journal of Communications 10, no. 3 (1999): 147-167.
2. Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation/National Association of Black Journalists, National Survey on Blacks, Media, and Health (Menlo Park, Calif.: Kaiser Family Foundation, July 1998); M. Brodie et al., What's the Diagnosis? Latinos, Media, and Health (Menlo Park, Calif.: Kaiser Family Foundation, June 1998); and M. Brodie et al., "Perceptions of Latinos, African Americans, and Whites on Media as a Health Information Source," Howard Journal of Communications 10, no. 3 (1999): 147-167.
3. Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation/National Association of Black Journalists, National Survey on Blacks, Media, and Health (Menlo Park, Calif.: Kaiser Family Foundation, July 1998); M. Brodie et al., What's the Diagnosis? Latinos, Media, and Health (Menlo Park, Calif.: Kaiser Family Foundation, June 1998); and M. Brodie et al., "Perceptions of Latinos, African Americans, and Whites on Media as a Health Information Source," Howard Journal of Communications 10, no. 3 (1999): 147-167.
4. K. Marder, "Real Lives Being Saved by ER," Los Angeles Daily News, 24 November 1997, LA. Life section, 3.
5. J. Bryant and D. Zillman, eds., Perspectives on Media Effects (Hillsdale, N.J.: Erlbaum, 1986).
6. W.J. Brown, "The Use of Entertainment Television Programs for Promoting Prosocial Messages," Howard Journal of Communications 3, nos. 3 and 4 (1992): 253-266; A. Huston et al., Big World, Small Screen: The Role of Television in American Society (Lincoln, Neb.: University of Nebraska Press, 1992); J.A. Winsten, "Promoting Designated Drivers: The Harvard Alcohol Project," American Journal of Preventive Medicine 10, supplement 1 (1994): 11-14; R.E. Rice and C.K. Atkin, eds., Public Communication Campaigns (Newbury Park, Calif.: Sage Publications, 1989); and Kaiser Family Foundation, The Use of Mainstream Media to Encourage Social Responsibility: The International Experience (Menlo Park, Calif.: Kaiser Family Foundation, 1995). One qualitative study with a small group of thirtysomething viewers assessed the effects of that television program on viewers' knowledge and actions: B. Sharf et al., "Confronting Cancer on thirtysomething: Audience Response to Health Content on Entertainment Television," Journal of Health Communication 1, no. 2 (1996): 157-172.
7. W.J. Brown, "The Use of Entertainment Television Programs for Promoting Prosocial Messages," Howard Journal of Communications 3, nos. 3 and 4 (1992): 253-266; A. Huston et al., Big World, Small Screen: The Role of Television in American Society (Lincoln, Neb.: University of Nebraska Press, 1992); J.A. Winsten, "Promoting Designated Drivers: The Harvard Alcohol Project," American Journal of Preventive Medicine 10, supplement 1 (1994): 11-14; R.E. Rice and C.K. Atkin, eds., Public Communication Campaigns (Newbury Park, Calif.: Sage Publications, 1989); and Kaiser Family Foundation, The Use of Mainstream Media to Encourage Social Responsibility: The International Experience (Menlo Park, Calif.: Kaiser Family Foundation, 1995). One qualitative study with a small group of thirtysomething viewers assessed the effects of that television program on viewers' knowledge and actions: B. Sharf et al., "Confronting Cancer on thirtysomething: Audience Response to Health Content on Entertainment Television," Journal of Health Communication 1, no. 2 (1996): 157-172.
8. W.J. Brown, "The Use of Entertainment Television Programs for Promoting Prosocial Messages," Howard Journal of Communications 3, nos. 3 and 4 (1992): 253-266; A. Huston et al., Big World, Small Screen: The Role of Television in American Society (Lincoln, Neb.: University of Nebraska Press, 1992); J.A. Winsten, "Promoting Designated Drivers: The Harvard Alcohol Project," American Journal of Preventive Medicine 10, supplement 1 (1994): 11-14; R.E. Rice and C.K. Atkin, eds., Public Communication Campaigns (Newbury Park, Calif.: Sage Publications, 1989); and Kaiser Family Foundation, The Use of Mainstream Media to Encourage Social Responsibility: The International Experience (Menlo Park, Calif.: Kaiser Family Foundation, 1995). One qualitative study with a small group of thirtysomething viewers assessed the effects of that television program on viewers' knowledge and actions: B. Sharf et al., "Confronting Cancer on thirtysomething: Audience Response to Health Content on Entertainment Television," Journal of Health Communication 1, no. 2 (1996): 157-172.
9. W.J. Brown, "The Use of Entertainment Television Programs for Promoting Prosocial Messages," Howard Journal of Communications 3, nos. 3 and 4 (1992): 253-266; A. Huston et al., Big World, Small Screen: The Role of Television in American Society (Lincoln, Neb.: University of Nebraska Press, 1992); J.A. Winsten, "Promoting Designated Drivers: The Harvard Alcohol Project," American Journal of Preventive Medicine 10, supplement 1 (1994): 11-14; R.E. Rice and C.K. Atkin, eds., Public Communication Campaigns (Newbury Park, Calif.: Sage Publications, 1989); and Kaiser Family Foundation, The Use of Mainstream Media to Encourage Social Responsibility: The International Experience (Menlo Park, Calif.: Kaiser Family Foundation, 1995). One qualitative study with a small group of thirtysomething viewers assessed the effects of that television program on viewers' knowledge and actions: B. Sharf et al., "Confronting Cancer on thirtysomething: Audience Response to Health Content on Entertainment Television," Journal of Health Communication 1, no. 2 (1996): 157-172.
10. W.J. Brown, "The Use of Entertainment Television Programs for Promoting Prosocial Messages," Howard Journal of Communications 3, nos. 3 and 4 (1992): 253-266; A. Huston et al., Big World, Small Screen: The Role of Television in American Society (Lincoln, Neb.: University of Nebraska Press, 1992); J.A. Winsten, "Promoting Designated Drivers: The Harvard Alcohol Project," American Journal of Preventive Medicine 10, supplement 1 (1994): 11-14; R.E. Rice and C.K. Atkin, eds., Public Communication Campaigns (Newbury Park, Calif.: Sage Publications, 1989); and Kaiser Family Foundation, The Use of Mainstream Media to Encourage Social Responsibility: The International Experience (Menlo Park, Calif.: Kaiser Family Foundation, 1995). One qualitative study with a small group of thirtysomething viewers assessed the effects of that television program on viewers' knowledge and actions: B. Sharf et al., "Confronting Cancer on thirtysomething: Audience Response to Health Content on Entertainment Television," Journal of Health Communication 1, no. 2 (1996): 157-172.
11. W.J. Brown, "The Use of Entertainment Television Programs for Promoting Prosocial Messages," Howard Journal of Communications 3, nos. 3 and 4 (1992): 253-266; A. Huston et al., Big World, Small Screen: The Role of Television in American Society (Lincoln, Neb.: University of Nebraska Press, 1992); J.A. Winsten, "Promoting Designated Drivers: The Harvard Alcohol Project," American Journal of Preventive Medicine 10, supplement 1 (1994): 11-14; R.E. Rice and C.K. Atkin, eds., Public Communication Campaigns (Newbury Park, Calif.: Sage Publications, 1989); and Kaiser Family Foundation, The Use of Mainstream Media to Encourage Social Responsibility: The International Experience (Menlo Park, Calif.: Kaiser Family Foundation, 1995). One qualitative study with a small group of thirtysomething viewers assessed the effects of that television program on viewers' knowledge and actions: B. Sharf et al., "Confronting Cancer on thirtysomething: Audience Response to Health Content on Entertainment Television," Journal of Health Communication 1, no. 2 (1996): 157-172.
12. G. Gerbneret et al., "Growing Up with Television: The Cultivation Perspective," in Media Effects: Advances in Theory and Research, ed. J. Bryant and D. Zillman (Hillsdale, N.J.: Erlbaum, 1994).
13. Ibid.
14. N. Signorelli, A Content Analysis: Reflections of Girls in the Media (Oakland and Menlo Park, Calif.: Children Now and Kaiser Family Foundation, April 1997).
15. Interviewing dates and sample sizes of each of ten Kaiser Family Foundation surveys to assess the impact of watching ER on regular ER viewers are as follows: For the three surveys conducted around the episode with the emergency contraception vignette: Preshow, n = 400, 31 March to 9 April 1997; Postshow, n = 305, 11-16 April 1997; Follow-up, n = 301, 25-30 June 1997. For the four surveys conducted over the course of the 1997-1998 season: Baseline, wave 1, n = 505, 11-23 September 1997; wave 2, n = 502, 21 November to 3 December 1997; wave 3, n = 500, 7-16 March 1998; and wave 4, n = 501, 20-31 May 1998. For the three surveys conducted around the episode with the HPV vignette: Preshow, n = 400, 8-16 February 2000; Postshow, n = 301, 25-29 February 2000; and Follow-up, n = 299, 3-16 April 2000.
16. Response rates for each of ten Kaiser Family Foundation surveys to assess the impact of watching ER on regular ER viewers are as follows: For the three surveys conducted around the episode with the emergency contraception vignette: Preshow, 41 percent; Postshow, 27 percent (36 percent recruit × 76 percent Postshow); and Follow-up, 54 percent. For the four surveys conducted over the course of the 1997-1998 season: Baseline, wave 1, 58 percent; wave 2, 56 percent; wave 3, 57 percent; and wave 4, 57 percent. For the three surveys conducted around the episode with the HPV vignette: Preshow, 28 percent; Postshow, 24 percent (34 percent recruit × 72 percent Postshow); and Follow-up, 27 percent. Response rates were calculated by using the American Association for Public Opinion Research standard definition RR3 as described in Standard Definitions: Final Dispositions of Case Codes and Outcome Rates for RDD Telephone and In-Person Household Surveys (Ann Arbor, Mich.: AAPOR, 1998). The experimental survey component presented challenges for response rates given the incidence of regular ER viewers (only one in four households had a regular ER viewer) and the short period available (one week between episodes) for testing the immediate impact of the specific vignettes. This latter fact prompted us to use a presurvey recruitment phase for the postshow portion of the surveys (reflected in the breakdown of the response rates for the postshow surveys above). With regard to the response rates, several things are worth noting. First, we do use a standard and fairly conservative measure for calculating response rates as proposed by AAPOR. Second, response rates alone should not be taken as a guide to the reliability of survey data. Also, any systematic bias that might have resulted from nonresponse on the natural experiments would likely persist across all three surveys, which mitigates concern about nonresponse having an effect on retention rates among the groups surveyed.
17. M. Brodie, "Sensitization Effects in a Study of the Impact of a Nationally Broadcast Special on Health Care Reform," in Doctoral Thesis: Political Institutions, Participation, and Media Evaluations-Influences on Health Care Policy (Boston, Mass.: Harvard University, 1995).
18. Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard University, Health News Index (May/June 1998); and Health News Index (January/February 2000).
19. Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard University, Health News Index (May/June 1998); and Health News Index (January/February 2000).
20. R.E. Petty and J.T. Cacioppo, Attitudes and Persuasion: Classic and Contemporary Approaches (Dubuque, Iowa: William C. Brown Company Publishers, 1981), 79.
21. Ibid.
22. B. Reeves and R. Hawkins, Effects of Mass Communication (Chicago: Science Research Associates, 1986).