Table 1 Quantitative media evaluation of online articles published on local newspapers in the study period
From: Meningococcal disease in Italy: public concern, media coverage and policy change
Area | Items | Total (n = 112) No. (%) | Pre policy (n = 29) No. (%) | Post policy (n = 83) No. (%) | P value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Article characteristics | Type of article | ||||
Editorials | 26 (23) | 7 (24) | 19 (23) | ns | |
General news | 86 (77) | 22 (76) | 64 (77) | ns | |
Main theme | |||||
Disease description | 7 (6) | 3 (10) | 4 (5) | ns | |
Vaccination | 24 (21) | 1 (4) | 23 (28) | 0.007a | |
Policy | 12 (11) | 3 (10) | 9 (11) | nsa | |
Meningitis case reporting | 42 (38) | 17 (59) | 25 (30) | 0.002 | |
Other | 27 (24) | 5 (17) | 22 (27) | ns | |
New information | 62 (55) | 22 (76) | 40 (48) | 0.01 | |
Mention of institutions or literature | 13 (12) | 3 (10) | 10 (12) | nsa | |
Health information provided by professionals | 9 (8) | 4 (14) | 5 (6) | nsa | |
Information about meningococcal disease | Case description | 43 (38) | 11 (37) | 32 (39) | ns |
Signs and symptoms | 16 (14) | 11 (38) | 5 (6) | < 0.001a | |
Long term effects | 3 (3) | 1 (3) | 2 (2) | nsa | |
Preventive recommendations | 17 (15) | 9 (31) | 8 (10) | 0.006 | |
Information about meningococcal vaccine | Available vaccines | 28 (25) | 6 (21) | 22 (27) | ns |
Cost of vaccination | 23 (21) | 4 (14) | 19 (23) | nsa | |
Risks and/or benefits | 5 (4) | 2 (7) | 3 (4) | nsa | |
Vaccination centre’s contacts | 18 (16) | 1 (3) | 17 (20) | 0.038 | |
LHA activity | Link to institutional sources | 5 (4) | 1 (3) | 4 (5) | nsa |
Description of LHA interventions | 70 (63) | 19 (66) | 51 (61) | ns | |
Accuracy of information | Inaccurate information | 7 (6) | 1 (3) | 6 (7) | nsa |
Misinformation | 1 (0.9) | 0 | 1 (1.2) | – | |
Tone | Reassuring | 19 (17) | 7 (24) | 12 (15) | ns |
Neutral | 83 (74) | 16 (55) | 67 (81) | 0.007 | |
Alarmist | 10 (9) | 6 (21) | 4 (5) | 0.03a | |