The independent source for health policy research, polling, and news.
KFF’s policy research provides facts and analysis on a wide range of policy issues and public programs.
KFF designs, conducts and analyzes original public opinion and survey research on Americans’ attitudes, knowledge, and experiences with the health care system to help amplify the public’s voice in major national debates.
KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the organization’s core operating programs.
As Seen on TV: Health Policy Issues in TV s Medical Dramas The popularity of hospital-based TV shows and the recent Hollywood movie, John Q, have raised questions about the extent to which the entertainment media engage health policy issues and how those issues are portrayed. This is the executive summary of a study of the 2000-2001 television season of four television hospital dramas. Executive Summary (.pdf)
Survey Snapshot: Response to the Movie, John Q When the movie, John Q, was released in February 2002, it brought a new round of press attention to the issue of health insurance coverage in America, and to the role of entertainment media in drawing public attention to or reflecting public concern with this topic. This is the summary of a survey of adult Americans about the impact of the movie. Survey Snapshot (.pdf)
Survey Snapshot: The Impact of TV's Health Content: A Case Study of ER Viewers Working with a writer/producer of the NBC drama, ER, to get advance information about upcoming episodes, researchers at the Kaiser Family Foundation conducted 10 separate national random-sample telephone surveys of regular viewers to determine the impact of entertainment media as an information source on health and health policy. Survey Snapshot
Excerpts from a forthcoming report based on a national survey of South African youth ages 12-17. The survey was conducted October to November 2001 among a nationally representative sample of 2204 youth, and was designed to shed light on how South African youth view their lives today and what they think about their futures, with a particular focus on HIV/AIDS and sexual behaviour. It also provides some initial data on South African young people's awareness…
In January 2002, an international Technical Advisory Group (TAG) traveled to South Africa to observe the programs and to make recommendations on strengthening loveLife's overall strategy. The TAG strongly and unanimously felt the loveLife project should be both continued and expanded. Particular strengths included its pioneering strategy focusing on the sexual health of youth; its comprehensive program incorporating media messages with services, outreach, and evaluation; the impressive talent of its staff from top down; and…
A new national study on public service advertising finds that broadcast and cable television networks donate an average of 15 seconds an hour to air public service ads (PSAs), representing just under one-half of one percent (0.4%) of all airtime. Shouting to be Heard: Public Service Advertising in a New Media Age was released by the Kaiser Family Foundation at a forum of nonprofit groups, policymakers and media leaders brought together to discuss the future…
This background paper, written by Charles Atkin, Michigan State University, reviews the research measuring effects of media-based health communication campaigns, to determine the degree of impact of campaigns on health behaviors, and identify promising strategies for increasing campaign effectiveness. The paper was released in conjunction with Shouting to be Heard: Public Service Advertising in a New Media Age, a new national study on public service advertising. Background Paper
PSAs in a New Media Age A new national study on public service advertising finds that broadcast and cable television networks donate an average of 15 seconds an hour to air public service ads (PSAs), representing just under one-half of one percent (0.4%) of all airtime. Shouting to be Heard: Public Service Advertising in a New Media Age was released by the Kaiser Family Foundation at a forum of nonprofit groups, policymakers and media leaders…
A new national study on public service advertising finds that broadcast and cable television networks donate an average of 15 seconds an hour to air public service ads (PSAs), representing just under one-half of one percent (0.4%) of all airtime. Shouting to be Heard: Public Service Advertising in a New Media Age was released by the Kaiser Family Foundation at a forum of nonprofit groups, policymakers and media leaders brought together to discuss the future…
A new national study on public service advertising finds that broadcast and cable television networks donate an average of 15 seconds an hour to air public service ads (PSAs), representing just under one-half of one percent (0.4%) of all airtime. Shouting to be Heard: Public Service Advertising in a New Media Age was released by the Kaiser Family Foundation at a forum of nonprofit groups, policymakers and media leaders brought together to discuss the future…
© 2026 KFF