Health Information in the Daily Press

Abstract

We try to find out the content of health information in the daily press. The five most read newspapers are studied during four weeks each in 1987. Word frequency, topic frequency and area distribution are found. The transmission of health messagesis assessed form the point of view of education for health. The results show that health information concentrated by areas appears regularly in all the papen. Of these areas, health policy occupies most space, medical news the most variable. The newspapers devoting most space to crimes and accidents devote least space to spreading medical news. Three topics account for 50% of the referentes. Rigour and intelligibility were in general acceptable. While respecting the characteristics and goals of a newspaper company, strategies are discussed to increase the relationship between informer and reader by establishing more effective communication in the subject under estudy.