Coverage of common XXXX types in UK national newspapers: a content analysis.

@entity1 @entity263 @entity0 @entity5 @entity2 @entity3596
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether recent newspaper coverage of the four most common @entity5 types relates to their relative burden and national awareness months, and to identify the subject focus during high-coverage periods. DESIGN: Content analysis using the Nexis newspaper article database. SETTING: UK 2011-2012. OUTCOME MEASURES: Annual number and ranking, monthly proportions and subject of articles on @entity0 . RESULTS: 9178 articles were identified during 2011 and 2012 featuring breast (4237), prostate (1757), lung (1746) and bowel (1438) @entity5 . Peaks in monthly proportions above the 99% upper confidence limit were identified for each. @entity0 had the highest coverage of 12% and 17% during its awareness month. Smaller peaks (11%) were identified during Bowel Cancer @entity3596 . @entity263 received high coverage in relation to the case of the @entity1 convicted of the Lockerbie bombing who had been diagnosed with the @entity5 in relation to the deaths of celebrities. @entity0 was covered most often overall and by newspaper category while the lower coverage of other @entity5 types did not consistently mirror the relative number of new cases each year. The peaks by newspaper category were similar to the overall coverage with few exceptions. CONCLUSIONS: UK newspaper coverage of common @entity5 types other than of the breast appears under-represented relative to their population burden. Coverage of @entity0 appears to be influenced by their awareness months, while that of @entity263 and @entity2 is influenced by other media stories. Health-promoting public bodies and campaigners could learn from the success of @entity0 Awareness Month and work more closely with journalists to ensure that the relevant messages reach wider audiences.
