Geller Gail, Tambor Ellen S, Bernhardt Barbara A, Rodgers Joann, Holtzman Neil A
Genetics and Public Policy Studies, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
Soc Sci Med. 2003 May;56(10):2211-20. doi: 10.1016/s0277-9536(02)00237-x.
After the announcement that sequencing of the human genome was nearly complete, media coverage was extensive. In light of ample evidence that the media are a primary source of health and science information, even for health professionals, media portrayals are often inaccurate or misleading, and discoveries that emanate from sequencing the human genome are likely to influence future health care, it is important to assess physicians' interpretations of media coverage about the human genome announcement. This paper describes the reactions of a sample of new physicians in the United States to this announcement, as well as the content of the stories they read or heard. Semi-structured surveys were distributed to all incoming houseofficers during Orientation at one major academic medical center. Eighty-one percent of 190 houseofficers returned a survey; 123 completed surveys were analyzed. Fifty-four percent of respondents thought the media message was only positive and 21% thought it was negative or mixed. Participants who reported radio as their media source were less likely to recall positive messages (p<0.05). Sixty-five percent and 76%, respectively, had positive perceptions of the impact of the accomplishment on people and on the medical profession. Overall, 48% were enthusiastic and 52% were guarded about the accomplishment. Enthusiasm was related to being an adult primary care houseofficer (p=0.07) or to having heard about it on television or in the newspaper (p<0.05). Of the 36 stories analyzed, newspaper and television reports focused more on medical implications and radio reports focused more on ethical issues. The degree of enthusiasm about the accomplishment reflects the content of the media coverage, and, at least for adult primary care houseofficers, probably reflects the increasing relevance of genetic discoveries to medical practice. Since physicians obtain much of their health and science information from the media, they can play an instrumental role in helping their patients interpret media coverage of advances in genetics and their impact on health care. However, this will require that physicians develop an appreciation of the newsmaking process, and how subtle interactions between politics, the media and science influence the "framing" of media coverage.
在宣布人类基因组测序即将完成后，媒体进行了广泛报道。鉴于有充分证据表明，即使对医疗专业人员来说，媒体也是健康和科学信息的主要来源，而媒体的描述往往不准确或具有误导性，且人类基因组测序产生的发现可能会影响未来的医疗保健，因此评估医生对有关人类基因组测序宣布的媒体报道的解读非常重要。本文描述了美国一批新医生对这一宣布的反应，以及他们阅读或听到的报道内容。在一所主要学术医疗中心的迎新培训期间，向所有新入职的住院医师发放了半结构化调查问卷。190名住院医师中有81%返回了调查问卷；对123份完整的调查问卷进行了分析。54%的受访者认为媒体传达的信息全是积极的，21%的受访者认为是消极的或好坏参半的。将广播作为媒体来源的参与者回忆起积极信息的可能性较小（p<0.05）。分别有65%和76%的人对这一成就对人们和医疗行业的影响持积极看法。总体而言，48%的人对此成就充满热情，52%的人则持谨慎态度。热情与成为成人初级保健住院医师有关（p=0.07），或者与在电视或报纸上听说过此事有关（p<0.05）。在所分析的36篇报道中，报纸和电视报道更多地关注医学影响，而广播报道更多地关注伦理问题。对这一成就的热情程度反映了媒体报道的内容，至少对成人初级保健住院医师来说，可能反映了基因发现与医疗实践的相关性日益增加。由于医生的许多健康和科学信息都来自媒体，他们在帮助患者解读有关遗传学进展及其对医疗保健影响的媒体报道方面可以发挥重要作用。然而，这需要医生了解新闻制作过程，以及政治、媒体和科学之间的微妙互动如何影响媒体报道的“框架”。
