Media Spotlight

The following is a sample of recent media placements about The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. For more information or assistance with media relations, call Meredith Raine, 713-500-3050.

Originating with the Beaumont Enterprise, an Associated Press story (06/25-07/02) about Dr. Alfred L. McAlister's report that teenagers in Jefferson Co. affected by hurricanes Katrina or Rita are more likely to smoke cigarettes ran nationwide in 110 media outlets ranging from CNN National and forbes.com to the Brazosport Facts and the Plainview Daily Herald.

Dr. Laura Benjamins tells KHOU-TV reporter Dave Fehling about her survey of 1,000 Houston-area high-schoolers, which found that 9 percent of them had at least one tattoo; 50 percent did not tell their parents before they got it; aired on "11 News At 10 PM" (07/02).

Dr. Robert Emery, with EH&S interns Joe Robertson & Jake Clay, talk about UTHealth partnering with the Houston VA Hospital on internships to train disabled vets to do new jobs they may have never considered before; aired on KUHF-FM Radio (07/04) and live on the "Fox 26 Morning News," KRIV-TV (07/05).

Gerontologist Dr. Carmel Dyer discusses elder abuse in Houston and says, "Nobody wants to think that their son or daughter could do this"; reported by Dave Fehling on "11 News At 10 PM," KHOU-TV (07/09).

For Alexis Grant's front page story in the 07/11 Houston Chronicle, Melinda Deel discusses how higher birth-control costs have caused some who use the UT-Houston Student Health Clinic to switch prescriptions.

In an interview broadcast statewide on Telemundo, Dr. Raul Caetano explains his study showing Latino victims of spousal abuse are less likely to get the mental health help they need; aired locally on KTMD-TV's "Noticiero 47 at 5 PM" (07/12).

UT Dental Branch researcher Dr. Charles Streckfus tells KHOU-TV's Janice Williamson that cancer diagnosis could someday come from saliva and says, "We would be able to tell the tumor at the smallest stage about the size of a pea"; aired 07/16 on "11 News At 5 PM."

For an Associated Press story about Texas leading the U.S. in teen birth rate, Dr. Christine Markham says, "A lot of parents want to talk to their child about sex and dating, but they don't know how to start the conversation"; appeared nationwide 07/25 in newspapers including USA Today, the Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Kansas City Star, Philadelphia Daily News and Newsday.

Dr. K. Lance Gould demonstrates for reporter Janice Williamson how a PET-CT imaging system was falsely diagnosing severe heart disease - and how he discovered a way to fix it; aired on KHOU-TV's "11 News At 5 PM" (07/25).

In the wake of actress Lindsey Lohan's latest arrest, MSI's Dr. Joy Schmitz and a patient talk to KTRK-TV's Christi Myers about alcohol/ cocaine treatment and relapses; aired on "Eyewitness News at 6 PM" (07/27).

As Chicago grapples with similar air-quality issues, reporter Howard Witt cites the UT School of Public Health's study finding that children living within 2 miles of the Houston Ship Channel have a 56 percent greater risk of acute lymphocytic cancers; in the Chicago Tribune, 07/29.

The Media Relations team reported 286 media placements in July (up 281 percent over July 2006). The estimated audience of potential readers/viewers of these stories increased by 155 percent compared to the same month in FY2006.