Disconnects between Media Framing and Parental Discourse Concerning the State-Mandated HPV Vaccine: Implications for a Dialogic Health Communication

• In Event: Examing Mediated Communication: Issues of Power, Accessbility, Sourcing, and Framing

Abstract

In 2007, Virginia became the first state to mandate a vaccine against HPV. This investigation is the first to uncover how parents and how news media frame the HPV vaccine issue within the context of a state-mandate. Results indicate that there are significant gaps between parental framing and discourse and media framing and discourse. The implications of these gaps on healthcare decision-making are addressed and suggestions for more dialogic health communication practices are proposed.

Authors

• Burton St. John, Old Dominion University

• Margaret Pitts, Old Dominion Univ

• Janice Raup-Krieger, Ohio State University