Medical Edge Newspaper Column

Newspaper Articles and Errors

April 17, 2006
READERS:
Twenty percent of all examined newspaper articles about common neurologic conditions had medical errors or exaggerations, according to a study partnering Mayo Clinic physicians and experts from the Arizona State University School of Journalism.

Researchers say the findings could help improve communication between physicians and patients, patient attitudes toward various conditions, newspaper coverage of neurologic conditions, and general health care coverage.

The study involved a content analysis of 1,203 newspaper articles published during 2003, with researchers analyzing whether appropriate language was used in U.S. newspaper coverage of neurologic diseases. Also performed was fact-checking of sources and stories for medical errors.

Newspaper stories were culled from one national newspaper as well as eight regional newspapers with circulation of more than 200,000. Eleven neurologic diseases were the focus.

Findings show that 20 percent of analyzed articles had medical errors or exaggerations. Overstating treatment effectiveness was the most common exaggeration.

Researchers also discovered that neurologic conditions with the highest prevalence were among the least covered topics, while less-common diseases such as Alzheimer's were topics in 33 percent of the articles.