Media representation of telemedicine in the German medical journal "Deutsches arzteblatt": an acceptance-theoretical analysis

Background Media reporting can influence the perception and development of attitudes through the frequency and the way certain topics are presented. The German Medical Journal "Deutsches arzteblatt" is one of the most important media for agenda-setting in Germany. It thus has an influence on opinion-forming and acceptance within the medical profession in regard to innovative healthcare technologies. Aim The aim of this work is to quantify the media representation of telemedicine and deduce the qualitatively depicted acceptance factors. Methods All articles on telemedicine published in "Deutsches arzteblatt" between 01/01/2008 and 01/01/2018 were reviewed. The type of article, the focus, the connotation, and the degree of explanation were recorded quantitatively as well as the discussed topics and content aspects. In a structured content analysis, acceptance factors were derived based on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT). Results The representation of telemedicine in the German Medical Journal has increased significantly in the last 10 years, and shows a tendency towards neutral and balanced reporting. A change in content can be seen. While the focus was still on technical aspects until 2012, it is currently increasing in the scientific-medical field. Emphasis is put on the presentation of expectations of performance and effort as well as the description and modification of framework conditions. Conclusions Further research is needed, focusing on the relevance of media representation of new forms of care such as telemedicine in order to increase acceptance and to develop attitudes on an individual, organizational, and systemic level.