Consulting with Prime Time TV Writers on Infectious Disease Topics: Role of County Health Officials with the Media

This presentation is based on research indicating that up to half of regular prime time television viewers in the United States learn about diseases and how to prevent them from TV shows, and that some of those
viewers take action as a result of what they see on TV. Analyses of national Healthstyles
data from 1999-2001 indicate, in particular, that "Heightened public awareness about recent disease outbreaks including SARS, Avian influenza, West Nile Virus, and bioterrorism has led to increased attention to these topics in entertainment media." Key to the media's influence on (and potential to educate) audiences with regard to public health issues, the presenters stress, is ensuring that writers receive accurate and timely information.

Interpersonal interaction - consultation between public health experts and TV writers - is a one key way to share credible information to help writers create more accurate portrayals in TV storylines. The lead presenter (Dr. Bancroft) notes that for many writers telling a good story is more important than strict adherence to the facts of diseases; paramount in the entertainment industry mindset is the need to bring in viewers and sell commercials. However, if the writers can get the facts right in the story, most writers will try to do so. She notes that "Writers, when they come to you, are also very eager to have you tell them of your experiences". The goal, then, is to encourage writers to come to public health officials to get the facts right.

Hollywood, Health & Society - a programme funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Cancer Institute at the USC Annenberg School for Communication - identifies topic experts and coordinates consultations when TV writers request assistance. More proactively, organisers carry out outreach to TV shows to highlight the value of consulting with public health experts. This presentation provides a specific illustration of this consultation process: Los Angeles County (California, USA) health officials are among the many experts who work with the USC programme to consult on disease outbreak storylines that appear in daytime and prime time dramas. "Through phone consultations and writers' room briefings, County officials have consulted with writers on rabies, botulism, bioterrorism, and healthcare facility outbreaks to offer guidance for more accurate and realistic depictions of these topics." The provision of real-world examples and concrete context about infectious disease investigations is central to this process.

Another strategy highlighted in this presentation is recognition - reinforcing exemplary health storylines through the Sentinel for Health Awards. Daytime dramas (television soap operas) and prime time dramas and comedies that inform, educate, and motivate viewers to make choices for healthier and safer lives are celebrated annually at the Writers Guild of America, West.