Kim Walsh-Childers, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communication Journalism professor, is the co-author of “Costs, Evidence, Context and Values: Journalists’ and Policy Experts’ Recommendations for U.S. Health Policy Coverage” published in Health Communication on May 3.

Walsh-Childers and Journalism Adjunct Instructor Jennifer Braddock, Ph.D. 2013, examined how the quality of news coverage can influence health policy development. For the article they conducted a series of in-depth interviews with eight health policy experts and 12 experienced journalists who have covered health policy.

According to the authors, “The goal of this project was to determine what health policy experts and health journalists believe constitutes quality health policy coverage. The results should facilitate future analyses of health policy coverage, provide recommendations aimed at helping journalists improve coverage, and lay the groundwork for future research assessing the impact on consumers of stories that do or do not include specific elements deemed important by journalists and health policy experts. Overall, the aim is to ensure that health policy coverage will help consumers develop well-informed opinions about the policies being discussed.”

The authors received recommendations from interviewees on what they believed journalists should address in health policy stories. They include costs, credible sources, evidence, values, a “relatable hook” and context.

Posted: May 4, 2021
Category: Alumni News, College News, Health Communication News
Tagged as: Jennifer Braddock, Kim Walsh-Childers