1. Internet Information-seeking Behaviors of TV Medical Drama Viewers Kathy Le, MPH Hollywood, Health & Society USC Annenberg Norman Lear Center

2. USC Annenberg School of Communication - The Norman Lear Center Funded by CDC (incl. HRSA Division of Transplantation) and The California Endowment. Provide entertainment industry professionals with accurate and timely information for health storylines HOLLYWOOD, HEALTH & SOCIETY (HH&S)

3. Establish CDC as credible/responsive source for health information Increase accuracy of health content on TV entertainment shows Educate TV writers about health issues Recognize exemplary health storylines Encourage public health issues on the Hollywood agenda Build capacity and support for Entertainment Education outreach and research HH&S GOALS

4. Outreach Expert briefings and consultations HH&S Web site Tip sheets Real to Reel Newsletter Public service announcements, 1-800 #s Web links to health information Events Panel discussions Sentinel for Health Awards Evaluation TV content analysis Impact analysis Process evaluation HH&S Activities

5. House (FOX) Premise House, an innovative take on the medical drama, solves mysteries where the villain is a medical malady and the hero is an irreverent, controversial doctor who trusts no one, least of all his patients. Nielsen ratings (’06 - ’07 TV season) # 7 out of 142 other primetime shows Average 19.4 million viewers Viewer demographics 60% female (age 18 - 49) 26% age 18 - 34 28% age 35 - 49 24% age 50 - 64

6. Web Links to Health Information

7. 147 Informational links posted to FOX.com Scurvy Brain tumors High blood pressure Seizures Suicide Lupus Autism Lung cancer Salmonella Obesity Mercury exposure Organ donation Depression Chagas disease Vasculitis Tapeworm Lymphoma Rheumatic fever Histoplasmosis Stroke MRSA Diabetes Sarcoidosis Reye’s Syndrome Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Porphyria Hepatitis A Clinical trials BotulismAspergillosis Gallstones Allergies Pica Kawasaki’s Disease SmokingNecrotizing fasciitis Sleep apnea Alzheimer’sQuarantine Pregnancy Multiple Sclerosis Hypothermia Leukemia Bacterial vaginosis Ciguatera fish poisoning Syphilis Pregnancy Chlamydia CDC topics with highest number of Web hits:

8. Page Views Day Day 0 = Episode Air Date Red: Chlamydia Gold: Syphilis Blue: Bacterial Vaginosis Turquoise: Pregnancy Yellow: Ciguatera Fish Poisoning House Web site links: Page Views by Day

9. Page Views Time (all time zones) Red: Chlamydia Gold: Syphilis Blue: Bacterial Vaginosis Turquoise: Pregnancy Yellow: Ciguatera Fish Poisoning 9 - 10 PM = Episode Air Time CDC Page Views by Hour

10. Results Summary Viewers follow informational health links on the House Web site the day after an episode airs. Viewers use the Internet while the episode is airing to search for more information on health topics. STDs are popular topics.

11. Monitor Web traffic on all posted links Provide health-related links to other shows’ Web sites Expand health education to emerging media platforms: Online episodes, mobisodes Message boards Blogs Social networking sites Ensure accuracy of TV health content Increase partnerships between public health and entertainment Implications and further steps

12. Michelle Cantu, MPH Hollywood, Health & Society Varian Brandon Centers for Disease Control & Prevention Michael Miller, MPH National Cancer Institute Brooke Hardison-Wang, MPH National Cancer Institute Grace Huang, MPH Hollywood, Health & Society Special thanks:

13. Contact: Kathy Le, MPH anhthy.le@usc.edu (323) 782-3311 www.usc.edu/hhs HOLLYWOOD, HEALTH & SOCIETY