Marcus Anhäuser1, Holger Wormer2, Astrid Viciano3, Wiebke Rögener3. 1. Institut für Kommunikations- und Medienwissenschaft, Universität Leipzig, Nikolaistraße 27-29, 04109, Leipzig, Deutschland. 2. Institut für Journalistik, Lehrstuhl Wissenschaftsjournalismus, Technische Universität Dortmund, 44221, Dortmund, Deutschland. holger.wormer@tu-dortmund.de. 3. Institut für Journalistik, Lehrstuhl Wissenschaftsjournalismus, Technische Universität Dortmund, 44221, Dortmund, Deutschland.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The quality of medical articles in journalism has a central role in informed decision-making by patients as well as by political, economic and social players, but also to general "health literacy". Therefore, quality standards that take into account basic scientific and journalistic principles, but are also scalable to specific health-related topics (such as medicine, nutrition and environment) are particularly relevant. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Starting from an internationally established catalogue in the framework of the "media doctor project", criteria for good medical journalism were analysed, reclassified and completed on the basis of theoretical concepts and practical applicability. In parallel, existing criteria from medical journalism were transferred to an adapted criteria catalogue for reporting on nutrition. RESULTS: A consensus was reached on a catalogue of criteria modularised into general journalistic, general science journalistic and specific medical journalistic aspects, which is published here for the first time in a scientific paper. With some rare exceptions, quality criteria for medical journalism could be well adapted to nutritional topics. Based on the two catalogues, further media contributions have been regularly evaluated. CONCLUSIONS: The advanced modularisation of the criteria catalogues facilitates their applicability and possibly their extension to other disciplines and for use by medical doctors as well as by laypersons. While medical journalism is strongly oriented towards the criteria of scientific evidence, the role of academic studies and experts versus anecdotal evidence should be further investigated for nutritional journalism.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The quality of medical articles in journalism has a central role in informed decision-making by patients as well as by political, economic and social players, but also to general "health literacy". Therefore, quality standards that take into account basic scientific and journalistic principles, but are also scalable to specific health-related topics (such as medicine, nutrition and environment) are particularly relevant. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Starting from an internationally established catalogue in the framework of the "media doctor project", criteria for good medical journalism were analysed, reclassified and completed on the basis of theoretical concepts and practical applicability. In parallel, existing criteria from medical journalism were transferred to an adapted criteria catalogue for reporting on nutrition. RESULTS: A consensus was reached on a catalogue of criteria modularised into general journalistic, general science journalistic and specific medical journalistic aspects, which is published here for the first time in a scientific paper. With some rare exceptions, quality criteria for medical journalism could be well adapted to nutritional topics. Based on the two catalogues, further media contributions have been regularly evaluated. CONCLUSIONS: The advanced modularisation of the criteria catalogues facilitates their applicability and possibly their extension to other disciplines and for use by medical doctors as well as by laypersons. While medical journalism is strongly oriented towards the criteria of scientific evidence, the role of academic studies and experts versus anecdotal evidence should be further investigated for nutritional journalism.
Entities:
Keywords:
Health literacy; Medical journalism; Nutritional journalism; Quality research in journalism; Science journalism
Authors: R Moynihan; L Bero; D Ross-Degnan; D Henry; K Lee; J Watkins; C Mah; S B Soumerai Journal: N Engl J Med Date: 2000-06-01 Impact factor: 91.245
Authors: M J Soares; M J Müller; H Boeing; C Maffeis; A Misra; G Muscogiuri; S Muthayya; P Newsholme; T Wolever; S Zhu Journal: Eur J Clin Nutr Date: 2019-09-04 Impact factor: 4.016