World Health Editors Network (WHEN)Who’s There? YesA Journalism and Health Initiative World Health Assembly 66GENEVA19-23 May 2013

Enter the Stadium - Democratise knowledge - Bring it homeHealth Literacy- A consumer perspective

Dario ManfellottoScientific consultant, Italian Radio and Television (RAI)May, 19, 2013

HEALTH RAISING INTEREST OF MEDIA

• Events • Testimonials• News• Epidemiological data• Surveys of opinion• Creation of a “welfare community”

Avoid the scoopism!

Breaking headlines on health news

• “Scientists find first breakthrough against Alzheimer’s”

• “Researchers believe treatment for osteoporosis is ready”

• “A vaccine against AIDS is available”

News is anything that interests a large part of the community and has never been brought to its attention

before

• The case of U2 syndrome: if an editor or anchor or The case of U2 syndrome: if an editor or anchor or reporter becomes interested in something, then reporter becomes interested in something, then you you tootoo must be interested must be interested

• The classical 5W, who, what, where, when and why The classical 5W, who, what, where, when and why cannot be applied. General news are based on facts cannot be applied. General news are based on facts and sources, while medical news are based on data, and sources, while medical news are based on data, probabilities and conclusionsprobabilities and conclusions

HEALTHRAISING INTEREST OF MEDIA

• Teaching in medical and professional schools• Education of the public• Meeting doctors/patients/journalists• Increase the role of nurses and other professionals

If you increase the awareness of health as a social target, you may also increase

the appeal of media

In the field of promotion of healthy life-styles the target is the agreement on a set of clear, consistent, focused and positive messages based on current scientific knowledge, so that they may reach the general population and be accepted and followed.

Those who labor in the vineyard of medical journalism do more good than harm, and

usually provide medical consumers with useful and accurate informations that

they can use to make important medical decisions about themselves and their

loved ones

Timothy Johnson, Editor ABC News

NEJM 1998

The more the community of health professionals at all levels and health

reporters in the media worktogether to produce a set

of clear, consistent, focused,positive messages based on the body of current scientific knowledge,

the sooner recommendations for a correct approachwill be accepted and

followed

L' educazione alla salute

in fo rm az ion e d ivu lg az ion e ed u caz ion e

com un icaz ion e

“Empowerment” of patient/citizen

Is it good ?Is it bad ?

DRUG DRUG

DISEASEDISEASE

TREATMENTTREATMENT

ORGANORGAN

DOCTOR/MEDICINEDOCTOR/MEDICINE

RESEARCHRESEARCH

PATIENTPATIENT

OTHEROTHER

KEYWORDS IN THE HEADLINEKEYWORDS IN THE HEADLINE

%%

38.038.0

35.935.9

23.223.2

7.77.7

2.82.8

4.24.2

1.41.4

1.41.4

Absence of disease Absence of disease

Sense of weel-beingSense of weel-being

Something to preserveSomething to preserve

Something to promote Something to promote

A valueA value

22.7%22.7%

27.2%27.2%

34%34%

9%9%

6.8%6.8%

HEALTH IS DESCRIBED ASHEALTH IS DESCRIBED AS

AUDIENCE OF TV MEDICAL PROGRAMMES

Check-up Rai Uno

Tg2 Salute Rai Due

Medicina 33

Rai Due Elisir

Rai Tre

Medici Rete 4

Vivere meglio

Rete 4

Audience Mean Males Females >55 yrs

2.399.831 775.951

1.552.869 1.327.001

2.059.534 761.333

1.272.870 1.016.476

419.346 157.542 256.350 252.538

2.476.475 984.553

1.433.046 1.642.622

1.193.311 370.265 802.577 646.977

246.037 90.353 155.231 140.348

Source:CensisAuditel 2012

SOURCES OF HEALTH INFORMATION

General PratictionerGeneral PratictionerRelativesRelativesPharmacistPharmacistFriendsFriendsTV ProgrammesTV ProgrammesColleaguesColleaguesMedical MagazinesMedical MagazinesLay PressLay PressInternetInternet

%%63.663.612.212.2 6.46.4 7.47.430.330.3 3.63.613.813.821.921.9

22

1987 20121987 2012

Medico di famigliaMedico di famiglia 63 65 63 65

Parenti, amici, colleghi 12 23Parenti, amici, colleghi 12 23

Farmacista 6 6Farmacista 6 6

Televisione 30 40Televisione 30 40

Riviste di salute 13 17Riviste di salute 13 17

Quotidiani con supplementi salute 21 17Quotidiani con supplementi salute 21 17

InternetInternet - 50 - 50

Fonte : CensisFonte : Censis

Sources of health information 1987-2012 comparison

ISSUES PER YEARISSUES PER YEAR

NEWSMAGAZINESNEWSMAGAZINES 21.8% 21.8%

WOMENWOMEN’’S MAGAZINESS MAGAZINES 15.4%15.4%

MEDICAL MAGAZINESMEDICAL MAGAZINES 166.6% 166.6%

DAILY NEWSPAPERSDAILY NEWSPAPERS 4.7% 4.7%

ARTICLES ON HEALTH

CHANGE OF PTS BEHAVIOUR AS A RESULTOF MEDIA REPORTS

58% didn’t change behaviour42% sought other informations53% their doctor was happy to talk about 7% their doctor wasn’t happy45% improved relationship with the doctor80% didn’t question their doctor’s advice

63%

16%21%

Poche informazioni essenziali

Informazioni approfondite

Informazioni specifiche per decidere autonomamente

Informations requested by patients

Fonte :CensisFonte :Censis

16%

84%

Trovare subito il rimedio più efficace

Capire cosa sta succedendo

What is it more important if you have a health problem ?

Fonte : CensisFonte : Censis

Modern sources of health communicationModern sources of health communication

•BANCHE DATI DELLE SOCIETA’ SCIENTIFICHEBANCHE DATI DELLE SOCIETA’ SCIENTIFICHE

•UFFICI PUBBLICI DI INFORMAZIONEUFFICI PUBBLICI DI INFORMAZIONE

•ORGANIZZAZIONI DI PAZIENTI ORGANIZZAZIONI DI PAZIENTI

•ASSOCIAZIONI PUBBLICHE DI PREVENZIONE DI MALATTIA ASSOCIAZIONI PUBBLICHE DI PREVENZIONE DI MALATTIA

•ASSOCIAZIONI CONSUMATORI E CITTADINI ASSOCIAZIONI CONSUMATORI E CITTADINI

•MASS MEDIA e INTERNETMASS MEDIA e INTERNET

•CENTRI DI CULTURA SANITARIA CENTRI DI CULTURA SANITARIA

•HEALTH EDUCATION COUNCIL (G.B.)HEALTH EDUCATION COUNCIL (G.B.)

CENTRO PER LA QUALITA’ DELLA EDUCAZIONE SANITARIA CENTRO PER LA QUALITA’ DELLA EDUCAZIONE SANITARIA

EHCN (European Health Communication Network)Ethical guidelines for health communicators

1. Seek to do no harm. Human rights and the public good are paramount.

2. Get it right. Check your facts and your sources, even if deadlines are put at risk.

3. Do not raise false hopes. Be especially careful when reporting on claims for miracle cures or potential health scares.

4. Beware of vested interests. Ask yourself, “Who benefits most from this story?”.

5. Reject personal inducements. Always make it clear if material is being published as a result of sponsorship.

6. Never disclose the source of information imparted in confidence.7. Respect the privacy of the sick, the handicapped and their families

at all times.8. Be mindfull of the consequences of your story.

Remember that individuals who may be sick or handicapped – especially children – have lives to live long after the media have lost interest.

9. Never intrude on private grief. Respect the feelings of the bereaved, especially when dealing with disasters. Wherever possible avoid close-up photography on television images of victims or their families.

10. If in doubt, leave it out.

Linee guida per la comunicazione delle epidemie

- costruire, mantenere e ricreare fiducia- annunciare presto e in modo chiaro - dare messaggi trasparenti: comunicazione semplice, completa e

accurata nei dati e nei resoconti- comprendere quello che pensa il pubblico per inviare messaggi chiari - pianificazione delle azioni da fare basata su analisi e gestione del rischio

As the former Italian Minister for Health and distinguished researcher Umberto Veronesi said, “the cultural evolution of medicine will bring all of us from the welfare state to the welfare community, that is from the State protecting everybody, to the community of citizens who think of how to self-protect from diseases”.

Non è la scienza che crea i moderni mostri e le nuove streghe. La colpa,

semmai, è dei divulgatori scientifici e dei mass-media che spesso sono male

informati ed approssimativi

Rita Levi Montalcini, Venezia 1993

Dosso Dossi, Giove, Mercurio e la Virtù, 1524