Coverage of Health Issues in Leading Pakistani Press: Comparative Analysis of Urdu and English Newspapers

Abstract

Although media are among the most significant categories of health information for Pakistanis, little is available as to how health topics are covered within Pakistani publications. The researcher investigated in study how health-related themes were covered and how they were handled in prominent Pakistani newspapers using agenda-setting and framing theories of mass communication research. This analysis examined a sample of composite weeks from Pakistan's four top newspapers from the years of 2014 to 2018. According to analysis 2978 news items were published regarding health issues. Certain illnesses and risk factors were found to be underrepresented in Pakistani print media when compared against their real prevalence and causes of death. Almost amount of medical information was presented in a positive light. It was also shown that illness causation & prevention strategies were far more likely attributable towards individuals but instead of the community. This study offers medical practitioners & administrators a wide perspective of how they use media for health care information.