Are Journalists’ Health Literacy Practices Tied to Their Perceptions of Audience? An Attribution Approach.

• In Event: eHealth and journalism: The changing face of mediated discourse

Abstract

This study reports results from a national survey of health journalists (N = 774) and focuses on how journalistic beliefs about audience use of information affect their health literacy practices. Using attribution theory, we look at whether health journalists’ orientation to audiences affects whether they use journalistic practices known to increase accessibility, or conversely, to add complexity. Journalists who saw themselves as audience advocates were more likely to use story elements that enhance health literacy.

Authors

• Amanda Hinnant, University of Missouri

• Maria Len-Rios, University of Missouri

• HyunJee Oh, University of Missouri

• Cynthia Frisby, University of Missouri, Columbia