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Media bias in portrayals of mortality risks: Comparison of newspaper coverage to death rates

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  • Isch, Calvin

Abstract

Chronic diseases are the leading cause of death in the United States, yet effective preventive measures receive minimal healthcare funding. This disparity may stem from public underestimation of these diseases’ impact and controllability, with distorted media coverage overemphasizing sensational risks and underemphasizing chronic illnesses. This study compares media coverage of mortality risks to objective measures of death rates to investigate such distortions. Data were collected on 14 mortality risks, including monthly US deaths from CDC Wonder and 823,406 relevant articles from major US newspapers via LexisNexis. Regression analyses and qualitative evaluations using natural language processing tools were performed. From 1999 to 2020, a significant disconnect was found between the deadliest risks and their media coverage. Media coverage fluctuations correlated with death rate changes, yet only 1.7–2.8% of the coverage was explained by these rates. Chronic illnesses were described neutrally as individual challenges, while sensational risks were depicted negatively as collective problems. These results illustrate how the media depict a skewed view of the risks facing the public, with disproportionate coverage of sensational risks while comparatively ignoring chronic diseases. Consumers may consequently come to a distorted understanding of the most threatening risks they face and how to combat them.

Suggested Citation

  • Isch, Calvin, 2025. "Media bias in portrayals of mortality risks: Comparison of newspaper coverage to death rates," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 364(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:364:y:2025:i:c:s0277953624009961
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.117542
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. George Miller & Charles Roehrig & Paul Hughes-Cromwick & Craig Lake, 2008. "Quantifying national spending on wellness and prevention," Advances in Health Economics and Health Services Research, in: Beyond Health Insurance: Public Policy to Improve Health, pages 1-24, Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
    4. Michael Siegrist & Joseph Árvai, 2020. "Risk Perception: Reflections on 40 Years of Research," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 40(S1), pages 2191-2206, November.
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