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Relative risk in the news media: A quantification of misrepresentation

Author

Listed:
  • Frost, K.
  • Frank, E.
  • Maibach, E.

Abstract

Objectives. This study quantifies the representativeness with which the print news media depict mortality. Methods. The proportion of mortality- related copy in samples of national print media was compared with the proportion of actual deaths attributable to the leading causes of US mortality over a 1-year period. Results. For every tested cause of death, a significant disproportion was found between amount of text devoted to the cause and the actual number of attributable deaths. Under-represented causes included tobacco use (23% of expected copy) and heart disease (33%); overrepresented causes included illicit use of drugs (1740%), motor vehicles (1280%), and toxic agents (1070%). Conclusions. The news media significantly misrepresent the prevalence of leading causes of death and their risk factors. This misrepresentation may contribute to the public's distorted perceptions of health threats.

Suggested Citation

  • Frost, K. & Frank, E. & Maibach, E., 1997. "Relative risk in the news media: A quantification of misrepresentation," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 87(5), pages 842-845.
    • Handle: RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:1997:87:5:842-845_5
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    Cited by:

    1. Marcos A. Rangel & Jenna Nobles & Amar Hamoudi, 2020. "Brazil’s Missing Infants: Zika Risk Changes Reproductive Behavior," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 57(5), pages 1647-1680, October.
    2. Dora L. Costa & Matthew E. Kahn, 2017. "Death and the Media: Infectious Disease Reporting During the Health Transition," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 84(335), pages 393-416, July.
    3. Rangel, Marcos & Nobles, Jenna & Hamoudi, Amar, 2019. "Brazil's Missing Infants: Zika Risk Changes Reproductive Behavior," SocArXiv fu8bp, Center for Open Science.
    4. Pascal Peduzzi, 2019. "The Disaster Risk, Global Change, and Sustainability Nexus," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-21, February.
    5. Barbara Tiozzo & Anna Pinto & Federico Neresini & Stefano Sbalchiero & Nicoletta Parise & Mirko Ruzza & Licia Ravarotto, 2019. "Food risk communication: analysis of the media coverage of food risk on Italian online daily newspapers," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 53(6), pages 2843-2866, November.
    6. Angel N Desai & Shravanthi M Seshasayee & Maimuna S Majumder & Britta Lassmann & Lawrence C Madoff & Emily L Cohn & John S Brownstein, 2020. "Tuberculosis and foreign-born populations in the United States: A mixed methods pilot study of media reporting and political identification," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(4), pages 1-12, April.
    7. Wei-Kang Zhang & Bing Wang & Xiang Niu, 2015. "Study on the Adsorption Capacities for Airborne Particulates of Landscape Plants in Different Polluted Regions in Beijing (China)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-16, August.
    8. Surianti Sukeri & Wan Mohd Zahiruddin & Mohd Nazri Shafei & Rukman Awang Hamat & Malina Osman & Tengku Zetty Maztura Tengku Jamaluddin & Aziah Binti Daud, 2020. "Perceived Severity and Susceptibility towards Leptospirosis Infection in Malaysia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-10, September.
    9. Anne‐Marie Nicol & Christie Hurrell & Will McDowall & Karen Bartlett & Negar Elmieh, 2008. "Communicating the Risks of a New, Emerging Pathogen: The Case of Cryptococcus gattii," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(2), pages 373-386, April.
    10. Philip S. Morrison & Stephanié Rossouw & Talita Greyling, 2022. "The impact of exogenous shocks on national wellbeing. New Zealanders’ reaction to COVID-19," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 17(3), pages 1787-1812, June.
    11. Alpaslan, Can M. & Mitroff, Ian I., 2021. "Exploring the moral foundations of crisis management," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).

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