Study: TV dramas shape health attitudes

(CNN) -- Prime-time television dramas based on hospital staff and their patients aren't just helping Americans unwind at the end of the day, they are shaping attitudes about health care, according to a study released Tuesday.

But while the writers of the shows approached some current hot-button issues, they virtually ignored others, according to the report.

Topics including long-term care, the uninsured, prescription drug coverage and insurance issues not related to HMOs were almost absent from the shows studied.

After watching every episode of four hospital dramas from the 2000-2001 season, researchers at the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation found that an average of one scene per episode discussed a public policy issue on health care.

The dramas they reviewed were "ER," "Strong Medicine," "Gideon's Crossing" and "City of Angels."

Vicky Rideout, vice president of the foundation, said the public and policy-makers alike need to consider Hollywood's impact.

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"The positive side of that is that TV shows and movies can really help people see the connection between what might be an abstract Washington policy issue and real people's lives, even though it's fictional real people," Rideout said.

"The tricky part is which issues get covered, from whose perspective, how accurate are the depictions."

The study concluded that issues were presented in a balanced manner. About half the scenes presented both sides of a health care policy issue.

Some institutions played the villains more than others. Insurance companies, lawyers and HMOs were more often portrayed in a negative light than a positive one. All references to HMOs were negative. Also represented were hospital administrators and government agencies.

The study also found:

The study did not venture to guess exactly how these shows might be shaping public opinion.

"I don't think that there are a lot of folks sitting around looking to 'ER' to give them an exact procedure that they ought to follow to file an appeal to an insurance company," Rideout said.

"I think the bigger picture message they're getting is how the health care system in this country is structured really makes a difference in people's lives."