Assessment of Leading Health Educators in Select General Readership Magazines, 2005-2008

Abstract

Mass media can play an important role in setting public agenda and stimulating public attention to issues. Purpose: To assess health-related articles in select mass-circulating general readership magazines, and identify which of the Leading Health Indicators (LHI) each of them addresses. Methods: Four of the top 35 general readership magazines listed in the 2007 Magazine Publishers of America were considered, and included Reader’s Digest, Time, Newsweek, and U.S. News and World Report. ProQuest was searched to obtain all health-related articles (n=55) available in these magazines between July 2005 and August 2008. Articles were assessed in regards to LHIs, sources of information, presentation of statistics and risk factors, and citation of prevention measures. Results: The most frequent LHIs addressed were overweight and obesity (21.4%) and mental health (19%). The most frequent source of information was experts such as MDs and PhDs (92.9%). Incidence and prevalence of LHIs were frequently presented, while risk factors were presented in less than 25% of the articles. Conclusion: Mass media can be a valuable tool for dissemination and stimulation of public attention to high priority public health issues. Enhanced coordination is needed between health educators and members of the press to ensure accurate and universally relevant health information in general readership magazines.