�The media constantly inform the public of new health info, but many Americans accept difficulty recognizing what they should, or should non do to improve their health. University of Missouri researchers conducted a national survey and found that the majority of wellness journalists get not had specialized training in health reporting and face challenges in communication new medical science developments.
Amanda Hinnant and Mar�a Len-R�os, assistant professors in the Missouri School of Journalism, surveyed 396 newspaper and magazine journalists and realized 35 in-depth interviews to offer penetration into the role of journalists in reducing the negative personal effects of circumscribed health literacy. Health literacy, as defined by the American Medical Association, is 'the ability to hold, process and understand basic health information and services needed to make reserve health decisions and follow instructions for treatment.'
"Almost half of the journalists reported they were not conversant with the concept of health literacy, but aforesaid that their readers' ability to read health entropy was very important to consider when writing wellness stories," Hinnant said. "Increasing knowledge of health literacy could facilitate journalists clear up medical data to readers."
Of the journalists surveyed, just 18 pct had specialised training in health reportage and only 6.4 percent reported that a majority of their readers change health behaviors based on the information they provide. The journalists had an average of 18 years of journalism know and seven-spot years go through as wellness journalists.
"Health journalists play an important persona in portion people effectively manage their health," Len-R�os said. "However, we plant that many journalists find it difficult to explain health information to their readers, while maintaining the information's scientific credibility. They have to resist 'bogging down' the story with too often technical skill data and 'dumbing down' the story with excessively simplistic recommendations."
Journalists reported quoting medical experts, avoiding technical terms, and providing information and statistics, as the three near important elements to devising health information understandable. However, understanding book of Numbers is a challenge for many people, Hinnant aforesaid. According to the U.S. Department of Education 2007 report, math literacy is a sober problem in the United States. Only 39 percent of U.S. students are at or above the "proficient" degree in grade eight and only 23 percent, ar at that level by grade 12. Mathematical noesis is of import to translate health information, Hinnant said.
"A large percent of Americans are not health literate, which is related to significant health problems including medication errors, failing to seek treatment and an inability to understand directions about proper health behaviour," Hinnant aforementioned. "The role of a health diarist includes translating medical information and playacting as a liaison responsible for providing quality information. We need to actively find slipway to improve health coverage and discern the importance of the media's persona in up the public's quality of life."
According to the review, journalists get complex views of what their readers can empathise. A legal age of journalists reported believing that their readers infer information from medical professionals, but are not proficient with scientific information and more prone to conceive health myths. More than half of the respondents thought a majority of their readers used information simply to gain a better savvy of health issues or used it to communicate better with health professionals. The results suggest that newspaper journalists view their roles as information providers, while cartridge clip journalists perceive themselves more as advocates for behavioural change.
Results from the field, "Tacit Understandings of Health Literacy: Interview and Survey Research with Health Journalists," were presented at the 2008 Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Convention in Chicago. The paper received the Top Faculty Paper Award from the Science Communication Interest Group. The research was funded by the Missouri Foundation for Health, Missouri Health Literacy Enhancement Priority Area Grant
The Missouri School of Journalism is home to several health communication research initiatives including the Association of Health Care Journalists, an independent membership organization dedicated to advancing public understanding of health care issues. Its mission is to improve the quality, accuracy and visibility of health fear reporting, writing and redaction. The Health Communication Research Center is a grant-funded center based in the journalism school. Its master mission is to foster interdisciplinary research to ameliorate communication between the health care residential district and the public. The center capitalizes on the University of Missouri's strengths in health care outreach, education and prevention.
Source: Emily Smith
University of Missouri-Columbia
More info
