News outlets are frequently criticized for jumping on news of disease outbreaks and contributing to panic, but a new study published in the Journal of Theoretical Biology suggests mass media coverage that focuses on influencing the public's behavior may help slow the spread of disease.
The study was conducted by researchers from Shaanxi Normal University in China and York University in Canada. To examine the relationship between mass media coverage on the H1N1 epidemic in the Chinese city of Xi'an, researchers compared the number of hospital visits every day during the outbreak with the number and duration of news reports about the epidemic.
The study revealed more news reports resulted in fewer hospital visits and vice versa, meaning media coverage can be a powerful tool to help halt the spread of disease during an epidemic.
"The success of any comprehensive prevention and control strategy of the emerging infectious diseases relies on the confidence — and action — of the public in the strategy, and media plays a substantial role in building this confidence," said co-author and York University Professor Sandra Gabriele.
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