The quality of media reports on discoveries related to human genetic diseases

被引：47

作者：

Holtzman, NA

Bernhardt, BA

Mountcastle-Shah, E

Rodgers, JE

Tambor, E

Geller, G

机构：

[1] Johns Hopkins Med Inst, Inst Med Genet, Baltimore, MD 21205 USA

[2] Johns Hopkins Med Inst, Off Publ Affairs, Baltimore, MD 21205 USA

[3] Johns Hopkins Univ, Phoebe Berman Bioeth Inst, Baltimore, MD 21205 USA

[4] Univ Penn, Sch Med, Dept Med, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA

来源：

COMMUNITY GENETICS | 2005年 / 8卷 / 03期

关键词：

genetic discoveries; genetic diseases; mass media; science reporting;

D O I：

10.1159/000086756

中图分类号：

Q3 [遗传学];

学科分类号：

071007 ; 090102 ;

摘要：

Objectives: To examine (1) the quality of media reports (newspapers, television and public radio) of genetic discoveries with medical relevance and (2) factors related to the completeness and balance of the stories. Methods: Analysis of the accuracy, balance, and completeness of 228 media stories reporting 24 genetic discoveries between 1996 and 2000 using a previously validated instrument. Results: Although usually accurate, the stories contained only 45.5 +/- 13.8% (mean +/- SD) of relevant items. Stories appearing on television and stories reporting discoveries of genes for rare diseases were the least complete. Stories in non-US English-speaking newspapers included more content items per word than US stories. Less balanced stories exaggerated the benefits of discoveries, ignored possible risks, and did not present a range of expert opinion. Scientists were sometimes the source of exaggeration. Conclusions: To increase the quality of media reports about genetic discoveries, stories should include more relevant items and be written by journalists skilled in science writing. Scientists will have to resist the tendency to exaggerate. These conclusions may apply to media stories of other discoveries as well. Copyright (c) 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel.

引用

页码：133 / 144

页数：12

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