Newspaper Coverage of Glaucoma, Diabetic Eye Disease, and Low Vision

Prepared by Alec Ulasevich, Ph.D.

American Institutes for ResearchFor

National Eye Health Education Program National Eye Institute

Why Study Media Coverage?

Media tells the general public, as well as policy makers and other stakeholders what to think about and how to think about it.

Evaluation Goals

• To assess information about health topics conveyed to the general public

• To assess media advocacy activities

Methodology

• Search of Lexis/Nexis newspaper data 1997 to 2001

• Exclusion of announcements and articles on alternative treatments

• Coding characteristics of each article• Coding content of each article

Content Codes

• Program Area (Glaucoma, Diabetic Eye Disease, Low Vision)

• Topic of the article (e.g., outreach, advances in treatment, insurance coverage)

• Health Information (e.g., does the article report prevalence, risk factors, or advocates early detection)

• Mention of NEHEP Partners

Findings: Program Areas

• 268 articles were found• Glaucoma: Most covered topic area, 69% as

primary focus, and 75% as primary and secondary (n=185)

• Low Vision: 23% primary focus and 27% overall (n=62)

• Diabetic Eye Disease: 8% primary focus, but 16.5% overall (n=21)

Findings: Coverage During Designated National Months

Overall Primary Focus Percentages by Month

21%

10%14%

2%

8%4%

11%

7% 8% 7%

2%5%

0 0

9.50% 9.50%

0

29%

0 0 0

43%

5%8%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

% ofGlaucoma

% of Diab.EyeDisease

Findings: Top Three Topics by Program Area

Glaucoma

n=185

Low Vision

n=62

Diabetic Eye Disease

n=21

Advance In Treatment (32%)

Outreach (40%) Outreach (48%)

Specific Health Information (32%)

Advances in Treatment (37%)

Survey results (33%)

Outreach (28%) Specific Health Information (32%)

Best practices (29%)

Findings: Coverage of Topics During Designated National Awareness

Months

Glaucoma• Health information (32%)• Advances in treatment

(32%)• Outreach (28%)

Diabetic Eye Disease• Outreach (89%)• Best practices

recommendations (44%)• Survey results (22%)

Findings: Risk Factors by Program Area

Risk Factor

(overall percent)

Glaucoma

n=185

Low Vision n=62

DED

n=21

Age (42%) 47% 37% 10%

Predisposition (34%)

43% 18% 10%

Race/Ethnicity (31%)

41% 8% 14%

Findings: Percent of Articles Encouraging Eye Exams

Glaucoma Low Vision DED

General (25%)

27% 18% 29%

Specific (21%)

23% 8% 48%

Findings: Disease Explanation and Prevalence Reporting

% Providing Explanation

% Reporting Prevalence

Glaucoma 52% 47%

Low Vision 37% 40%

DED 19% 67%

Overall 46% 47%

Findings: NEHEP Partner Mentions

• 50% of all articles mentioned one of NEHEP Partners

• Articles on advancements in treatment, insurance coverage, and those presenting specific health information were more likely to mention Partners.

• Articles mentioning Partners were no more likely to report risk factors, to explain the disease or to report prevalence.

Conclusions• Newspaper media does a fair job reporting

information about the program areas• Most articles on diabetic eye disease encourage a

specific eye exam• Coverage of outreach efforts is outstanding given

more typical media emphasis on treatment advances

• Opportunity for partners to harvest the power of the media to advance public health agenda