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Does Entertainment-Education Work With Latinos in the United States? Identification and the Effects of a Telenovela Breast Cancer Storyline

2007; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 12; Issue: 5 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/10810730701438690

1087-0415

Holley A. Wilkin, Thomas W. Valente, Sheila T. Murphy, Michael J. Cody, Grace C. Huang, Vicki Beck,

Media, Gender, and Advertising

This article examines the proposition that a popular form of entertainment, the telenovela, can educate Spanish-speaking viewers in the United States if accurate health information is presented in a dramatic, narrative format. Health professionals consulted on a breast cancer storyline in a Spanish-language telenovela, Ladrón de Corazones, and the impact on viewers' knowledge and behavioral intentions were assessed using three methods. First, an analysis of call attempts to 1-800-4-CANCER demonstrated a significant increase in calls when a PSA featuring the number aired during the program. Second, a nationwide telephone survey indicated that viewers, especially those who identify with Spanish-language television characters, gained specific knowledge from viewing the story and that male viewers were significantly more likely to recommend that women have a mammogram. Third, these trends were confirmed and further explored using focus groups of Ladrón viewers. Implications for educating viewers using dramatic serials in the United States are discussed.