Amanda Wilson|Billie Bonevski|Alison Jones|David Henry
Media Reporting of Health Interventions: Signs of Improvement, but Major Problems Persist
University of Newcastle Australia|University of Newcastle Australia|University of Newcastle Australia|Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences|Health Sciences Centre|Sunnybrook Health Science Centre
studies persistently shown deficiencies medical reporting mainstream media monitoring accuracy comprehensiveness medical news reporting australia since mid 2004 analysis 1200 stories australian media compares different types media outlets examines reporting trends timebetween march 2004 june 2008 1230 news stories rated national medical news monitoring web site media doctor australia covered variety health interventions ranging drugs diagnostic tests surgery dietary complementary therapies story independently assessed two reviewers using ten criteria scores expressed percentages total assessable items deemed satisfactory according coding guide analysis variance used compare mean scores fishers exact test compare proportions trends time analysed using unweighted linear regression analysis broadsheet newspapers highest average satisfactory scores 58 95 ci 5660 compared tabloid newspapers online news outlets 48 95 ci 4452 48 95 ci 4650 respectively lowest scores assigned stories broadcast human interestcurrent affairs television programmes average score 33 95 ci 2838 non significant increase average scores outlets significant improvement seen online news media rise 51 95ci 132 897 p 0009 statistically significant improvements seen coverage potential harms interventions availability treatment diagnostic options accurate quantification benefitsalthough overall quality medical reporting general media remains poor study showed modest improvements areas however striking finding continuing poor coverage health news commercial current affairs television programs