Institute for Musculoskeletal Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
BMJ Open. 2021 Jun 1;11(6):e043991. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-043991.
Promotional media coverage of early detection tests is an important driver of overdiagnosis. Following research evidence that global media coverage presents the benefits of testing healthy people far more frequently than harms, and gives little coverage to overdiagnosis, we sought to examine journalists' views on media reporting of tests, overdiagnosis, and strategies to improve critical reporting on tests.
Qualitative study using semistructured telephone interviews. Interviews were conducted between February and March 2020 and were audiorecorded and transcribed verbatim. Framework thematic analysis was used to analyse the data.
Twenty-two journalists (mainly specialising in health reporting, average 14.5 years' experience) based in Australia.
This sample of journalists acknowledged the potential harms of medical tests but felt that knowledge of harms was low among journalists and the public at large. Most were aware of the term overdiagnosis, but commonly felt that it is challenging to both understand and communicate in light of strong beliefs in the benefits of early detection. Journalists felt that newsworthiness in the form of major public health impact was the key ingredient for stories about medical tests. The journalists acknowledged that factors, like the press release and 'click bait culture' in particular, can influence the framing of coverage about tests. Lack of knowledge and training, as well as time pressures, were perceived to be the main barriers to critical reporting on tests. Journalists felt that training and better access to information about potential harms would enable more critical reporting.
Effectively communicating overdiagnosis is a challenge in light of common beliefs about the benefits of testing and the culture of current journalism practices. Providing journalists with training, support and better access to information about potential harms of tests could aid critical reporting of tests.
宣传性媒体对早期检测试验的报道是过度诊断的一个重要驱动因素。鉴于全球媒体报道对健康人群检测益处的报道频率远远高于危害，且对过度诊断的报道甚少，我们研究了记者对检测、过度诊断和改进检测批判性报道策略的媒体报道看法。
采用半结构式电话访谈的定性研究。访谈于 2020 年 2 月至 3 月进行，访谈内容被录音并逐字记录。使用框架主题分析对数据进行分析。
22 名记者（主要专门从事健康报道，平均有 14.5 年的从业经验），来自澳大利亚。
本记者样本承认医疗检测的潜在危害，但认为记者和公众普遍对危害知之甚少。大多数人都知道过度诊断这个术语，但普遍认为，鉴于人们强烈相信早期检测的益处，因此很难理解和交流过度诊断的概念。记者们认为，具有重大公共卫生影响的新闻价值是关于医疗检测的新闻故事的关键要素。记者们承认，因素，如新闻稿和“点击诱饵文化”，特别是可以影响检测报道的框架。缺乏知识和培训以及时间压力被认为是对检测进行批判性报道的主要障碍。记者们认为，培训和更好地获取有关潜在危害的信息将使对检测进行更具批判性的报道成为可能。
鉴于人们普遍相信检测的益处以及当前新闻报道实践的文化，有效地传达过度诊断是一个挑战。为记者提供有关检测潜在危害的培训、支持和更好地获取信息的机会，可能有助于对检测进行批判性报道。
