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Health Communication Commons

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Full-Text Articles in Health Communication

Reporting A Rural Reality: A Case Study Of An Agricultural Newspaper’S Series On The Rural Opioid Epidemic, Cara R. Lawson, Courtney Meyers, Amy Boren, Erica Irlbeck, Amber Mccord Jul 2022

Reporting A Rural Reality: A Case Study Of An Agricultural Newspaper’S Series On The Rural Opioid Epidemic, Cara R. Lawson, Courtney Meyers, Amy Boren, Erica Irlbeck, Amber Mccord

Journal of Applied Communications

Opioid drug abuse has created an epidemic recognized as a public health emergency in 2017, and the detrimental impacts of this epidemic have reached into rural America. When it comes to presenting information via the mass media, communications professionals serve as gatekeepers for what information is passed on to media consumers. Additionally, news organizations place certain degrees of importance upon issues through the amount of coverage dedicated to an issue. In late 2016, when the Farm and Dairy newspaper editorial staff decided to dedicate a vast amount of time and resources to covering Ohio and Pennsylvania’s rural opioid epidemic, a …


U.S. Geographic Differences In Media Source Use During Covid-19 Shelter In Place Orders, Allison R. Fortner, Kristin Gibson, Alexa Lamm Dec 2021

U.S. Geographic Differences In Media Source Use During Covid-19 Shelter In Place Orders, Allison R. Fortner, Kristin Gibson, Alexa Lamm

Journal of Applied Communications

United States news access patterns may have influenced distribution of misinformation in the COVID-19 infodemic, emphasizing the necessity of targeted communication to increase health literacy during a crisis. This study used sense-making theory to explore information-seeking behaviors of U.S. residents during COVID-19 shelter in place orders. This purpose of this study was to identify media outlets used by U.S. residents to access COVID-19 information and determine if access differed according to geographic region. A representative survey of U.S. residents aged 18 or older (N = 1,048) revealed the mainstream media outlets used most were domestic government-based sources. Northeastern …


Individual Depictions, Causes, And Consequences: Effects Of Media Frames On Perceptions Toward The Rural Opioid Epidemic, Cara Lawson, Courtney Meyers, Amber Mccord, Erica Irlbeck, Amy Boren May 2021

Individual Depictions, Causes, And Consequences: Effects Of Media Frames On Perceptions Toward The Rural Opioid Epidemic, Cara Lawson, Courtney Meyers, Amber Mccord, Erica Irlbeck, Amy Boren

Journal of Applied Communications

Rural America faces challenges unique from other parts of the United States with vulnerabilities leaving its potential resilience at risk. In particular, issues associated with public health leave many in rural communities in lack of needed care and resources to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The rural opioid epidemic has added greater challenges to an already fragile rural health system. The mass media has for many decades served as a vessel for health promotion and health campaigns have been successful at changing levels of knowledge. Given that acceptance or action on an issue can be a result of how the message …


Country Crisis: A Content Analysis Of Rural Opioid Epidemic News Coverage, Cara R. Lawson, Courtney Meyers May 2020

Country Crisis: A Content Analysis Of Rural Opioid Epidemic News Coverage, Cara R. Lawson, Courtney Meyers

Journal of Applied Communications

The spread of non-prescription opioid abuse has increased to the point that a person is now more likely to die from an accidental overdose than an automobile accident. Rural areas have been hit particularly hard, and many farmers indicate direct impacts resulting from the opioid epidemic. Researchers have recognized the role of the media in communicating complicated issues and influencing potential solutions. This study analyzed the frames and sources used to communicate issues regarding the rural opioid epidemic in The New York Times and five additional newspapers from states most affected by the opioid epidemic. A total of 115 news, …


Analyzing Media Coverage Of Agricultural Health And Safety Issues, Lisa K. Lundy, Tiffany M. Rogers-Randolph, Angela B. Lindsey, Clay Hurdle, Heather Ryan, Ricky W. Telg, Tracy Irani Dec 2018

Analyzing Media Coverage Of Agricultural Health And Safety Issues, Lisa K. Lundy, Tiffany M. Rogers-Randolph, Angela B. Lindsey, Clay Hurdle, Heather Ryan, Ricky W. Telg, Tracy Irani

Journal of Applied Communications

Farming, by the very nature of the occupation, is riddled with uncertainty. The risks associated with the agriculture industry are just as diverse as the industry itself. For all risks, one challenge is the development and dissemination of safety communication materials tailored for diverse audiences. Valkenburg, Semetko, and Vreese (1999) examined common frames used in news media. Their analysis pointed to four commonly used news frames: conflict, human interest, responsibility and economic consequences. The purpose of this study was to describe the agricultural and health safety issues discussed in Florida news media during the year 2016, discussing the prominence of …