Citation

Suzuki S, Itano D, Yamamoto LG. Hawaii Med. J. 2008; 67(3): 74-5, 83.

Affiliation

Department of Pediatrics, University of Hawai'i John A. Burns School of Medicine, Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women and Children, Honolulu, HI 96826, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, Hawaii Medical Association)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

18512665

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to quantify the material children and adolescents are exposed to while watching prime-time television so that school educators, health professionals, and parents can focus on issues of maximum exposure that must be addressed. METHODS: Prime-time programming was recorded from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Hawaiian Standard Time daily for 2 weeks in July 2005. Recordings were then viewed to identify social behaviors of interest. RESULTS: Each hour on average, sex was referenced 1.8 times, drugs 0.6 times, tobacco 0.3 times, alcohol 2.4 times, and violence/crime 6.0 times per network. Messages advocating exercise, anti-drug advocacy, and anti-smoking advocacy were each shown 0.2 times per hour; while anti-alcohol advocacy was shown 0.1 times per hour. CONCLUSION: School educators, health professionals, and parents must recognize that prime-time television frequently exposes viewers to issues that are of critical importance to the health and social development of school-aged children and adolescents.

Language: en