Diseases neglected by mass media
Although one in six people worldwide is affected by so-called neglected diseases, like Chagas disease, African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) and leishmaniasis-these have little space in the mass media coverage according to article published in PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases.
In the study, researchers at the University of Bordeaux (France) and the Agency for Health Protection of the Great Britain, analyzed eleven international impact mass, circulating in English, in the period 1 January 2003 to June 1, 2007. Researchers also interviewed nine journalists.
Only 113 articles were identified in the review period. The BBC was the mass medium with more presence of the item (20 items), followed by Financial Times and Agence France Presse. CNN was, among all, who had less coverage, with only a text published in the period of investigation.
The disease was considered unattended press was more leishmaniasis and the least appeared in the media was Chagas disease.
The scientists were the most consulted source of information in the articles, while the World Health Organization (WHO) and the pharmaceutical industry were those that had less presence.
The journalists interviewed generally said they agreed that the coverage on the topic is not adequate, but said the lack of a news angle is a major obstacle to a bigger presence of the subject in the media in which they work.
Moreover, journalists felt that health agencies, especially WHO, are not adequately communicating those situations where there are increases in cases of neglected diseases.
According to WHO, there are 14 diseases on the list of neglected diseases, which are so called because they persist exclusively in the poorest and marginalized populations. Children are most vulnerable to these diseases, according to WHO, could be controlled and prevented.