Increases in Calls to the CDC National STD and AIDS Hotline following AIDS-Related Episodes in a Soap Opera

Abstract

In the United States, minority women are at risk of HIV infection and comprise a disproportionate share of daytime soap opera viewers. In August 2001, a soap opera subplot delivered HIV prevention messages to viewers and displayed the National STD and AIDS Hotline's toll-free number (800–342–2437) after 2 episodes. On both days, the number of attempted calls to the Hotline in the 1-hour time slots during and just after the 30-minute broadcasts rose dramatically. These increases in information-seeking behavior are consistent with predictions based on social cognitive theory, the health belief model, and various models of information processing. The increases also provide support for the Education-Entertainment approach and underscore the importance of a productive partnership between public health and the entertainment industry.