CHANNELING HOLLYWOOD TO PUSH HEALTH MESSAGES

[Guest guest]

Kathi wrote:

" Channeling Hollywood "

American Medical News (08/23/99) Vol. 42, No. 32, P. 9; Gianelli, Diane

M.

Public health officials are increasingly turning to television and

Hollywood to disseminate health-related messages. The Kaiser Family

Foundation, which is trying to get " safer sex " depictions on screen,

sponsors occasional briefings on sexual health issues for Hollywood

writers and producers through the Media Project. For example, a recent

episode of the television show " Felicity " involved the lead character

learning more about contraceptives and HIV testing before she has

intercourse for the first time.

Also, under project conducted a few years ago with the California

Department of Health Services, 14 television shows incorporated positive

messages about the importance of immunization after key contacts at the

shows were approached with story ideas and additional information.

Public health officials say that getting through to Hollywood and

television producers can be difficult, because there are so many other

lobbying groups vying for their time. But Dr. Deborah Glik, of the

University of California at

Los Angeles' School of Public Health, notes that " we know there's a

hunger out there for health information. " According to Glik, studies

indicate that people get 70 percent of their health information from the

media.