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Published on: May 19, 2020
Immunization safety in US print media, 1995-2005
Hamidah Hussain1, Saad B Omer, Jennifer A Manganello
1Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. hhussain@jhsph.edu
Pediatrics
|April 20, 2011
Summary
Newspaper articles frequently discuss vaccine safety, with concerns about vaccine policy and safety being most common. Monitoring media coverage is key to shaping public vaccine messages.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Media Studies
- Vaccinology
Background:
- Media coverage significantly influences public perception of health issues.
- Understanding media framing of vaccine safety is crucial for public health communication.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and describe vaccine safety topics in US newspaper articles.
- To analyze trends and themes in media reporting on vaccine safety.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive search of newspaper articles using keywords related to immunization and vaccine safety.
- Analysis of 1147 articles published between 1995 and 2005 across 44 states and Washington, DC.
- Coding articles using a standardized instrument to identify key themes and messages.
Main Results:
- Vaccine safety concerns (46%) and vaccine policy (44%) were the most frequently reported topics.
- Spikes in reporting occurred in 1999 (rotavirus) and 2002-2003 (smallpox).
- Excluding rotavirus and smallpox, 37% of articles conveyed a negative message about vaccine safety.
Conclusions:
- Media coverage of vaccine safety is extensive and varied.
- Ongoing monitoring of news content and framing is essential for effective public health messaging regarding vaccines.
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