'Ageing well': Discursive constructions of ageing and health in the public reach of a national longitudinal study on ageing.

Established in 2006, the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) investigates the health, economic and social circumstances of a nationally-representative sample of people aged fifty years and older in a series of biennial data collection waves. Irish newspapers have been reporting the results of TILDA for over a decade and a half, and their texts represent reports of scientific research distilled through the pen of journalists. In their totality, their texts constitute a public discourse on ageing and health. Using critical discourse analysis, we examined the discourse within the texts of a purposive sample of two national daily newspapers. As sites of public discourse, newspapers reflect social life and are influential in forming and legitimating public attitudes. Like other sites of discourse, their language-in-use is contextually located, is rarely neutral and may employ strategies to discursively construct, sustain and privilege particular social identities, including ageing identities. Discursively constructed as 'ageing well', our analysis of newspaper texts revealed a discernible meta-discourse on ageing and health in which ageing was framed as a life course stage that may be cultivated, diligently self-nurtured and exploited for its positive aspects. When considered in light of literature on health and social inequalities, the consequences of this broadly positive ageing discourse can, somewhat perversely, frame older adults in unintended negative ways, including homogenising them and attributing to them capacities for ageing well that they may not possess. Discursively constructing older adults as a social and economic resource can also impose unrealistic expectations on them and may legitimise exploitation and demonstrate how normative ideologies of ageism and ableism are conveyed through legitimising language. Despite these potentially unintended consequences, the available media resources associated with TILDA may represent one of the most important contributions of the study, in terms of informing positive public attitudes towards ageing.

Examining U.S. Newspapers' Effects on COVID-19 Infection Rates Among Racial/Ethnic Minorities.

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic reveals health disparities in the United States. News media are expected to play a major role in reducing racial/ethnic disparities. Methods: Guided by agenda-setting theory in the context of health promotion and the structural approach of media effects, this study assessed the impacts of COVID-19 newspaper articles about racial/ethnic minorities on minorities' infection rates in the early stages of the pandemic, while controlling for social determinants of health (SDOHs). Results: Racial/ethnic minorities are underrepresented in COVID-19 newspaper articles, although newspapers' attention to racial/ethnic minorities' health increased over time. Public exposure to newspaper articles about racial/ethnic minorities was the only significant factor that predicted infection rates among general racial/ethnic minorities. The more the general public in the United States was exposed to related newspaper articles, the lower the infection rates among general racial/ethnic minorities would be. The impacts of SDOHs varied across different racial/ethnic minority groups. Blue states were more likely to be exposed to COVID-19 newspaper articles about racial/ethnic minorities than red states. Discussion: Findings suggest that news exposure to any racial/ethnic group can benefit all minorities. Findings also demonstrate the influence of media agenda on public agenda and policy agenda regarding minority health.

Perpetuating Health Disparities of Minority Groups: The Role of U.S. Newspapers in the COVID-19 Pandemic.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, news media are expected to play a critical role in reducing health disparities. However, we know little about whether and how disparities in COVID-19 have been covered in national and local U.S. newspapers. This study examined whether minority health gained news attention and whether partisan bias affected related coverage in the early stages of the pandemic. Results indicate that minority groups have been underrepresented in COVID-19 news articles. Left-leaning newspapers were more likely to discuss minorities in COVID-19 news than least biased media. Left-leaning and right-leaning newspapers did not differ in the number of articles mentioning racial/ethnic minorities. COVID-19 news exceeded the average U.S. reading comprehension level and require some college education to understand but did not differ in readability levels among partisan newspapers. Left-leaning newspapers used significantly more medical terms and affiliated scientific facts to describe COVID-19 than right-leaning newspapers. Implications include avoiding potential failures in informing the public (especially the racial/ethnic minorities) essential scientific facts about disease prevention and increasing public trust in health news coverage.

An exploration of the portrayal of the UK soft drinks industry levy in UK national newspapers.

OBJECTIVE: News media play a role in politics through the portrayal of policies, influencing public and policymaker perceptions of appropriate solutions. This study explored the portrayal of sugar and sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) taxes in UK national newspapers. Findings aid understanding of the role newspapers play in shaping understanding and acceptance of policies such as the UK Soft Drink Industry Levy (SDIL). DESIGN: Articles discussing sugar or SSB taxes published in six UK national newspapers between 1 April 2016 and 1 May 2019 were retrieved from the LexisNexis database. Articles were thematically analysed to reveal policy portrayal. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: Analysis of UK newspaper articles. RESULTS: Two hundred and eighty-six articles were assessed. Sugar and SSB taxes were discussed across the sample period but publication peaked at SDIL announcement and introduction. Themes were split according to support for or opposition to taxation. Supportive messaging consistently highlighted the negative impacts of sugar on health and the need for complex actions to reduce sugar consumption. Opposing messages emphasised individual responsibility for health and the unfairness of taxation both for organisations and the public. CONCLUSIONS: Sugar and SSB taxes received considerable media attention between 2016 and 2019. All newspapers covered arguments in support of and opposition to taxation. Health impacts of excess sugar and the role of the soft drink industry in reducing sugar consumption were prevalent themes, suggesting a joined-up health advocacy approach. Industry arguments were more varied, suggesting a less collaborative argument. Further research should investigate how other media channels portray taxes such as the SDIL.

Early investments in state capacity promote persistently higher levels of social capital.

Social capital has been shown to positively influence a multitude of economic, political, and social outcomes. Yet the factors that affect long-run social capital formation remain poorly understood. Recent evidence suggests that early state formation, especially investments in state capacity, are positively associated with higher levels of contemporary social capital and other prosocial attitudes. The channels by which early state capacity leads to greater social capital over time are even less understood. We contribute to both questions using the spatial and temporal expansion of the US postal network during the 19th century. We first show that county-level variation in post office density is highly correlated with a bevy of historical and contemporary indicators of social capital (e.g., associational memberships, civic participation, health, and crime). This finding holds even when controlling for historical measures of development and contemporary measures of income, inequality, poverty, education, and race. Second, we provide evidence of an informational mechanism by which this early investment in infrastructural capacity affected long-run social capital formation. Namely, we demonstrate that the expansion of the postal network in the 19th century strongly predicts the historical and contemporary location of local newspapers, which were the primary mode of impersonal information transmission during this period. Our evidence sheds light on the role of the state in both the origins of social capital and the channels by which it persists. Our findings also suggest that the consequences of the ongoing decline in local newspapers will negatively affect social capital.

Sentiment of Media Coverage and Reputation of the Pharmaceutical Industry.

BACKGROUND: Patients and health care professionals receive information about pharmaceutical companies through various sources, including but not limited to print media, social media, and electronic media. The objective of this research was to benchmark the sentiment of electronic newspaper media coverage between 2014 and 2016 and investigate the potential relationship to the public perception of the select pharmaceutical companies. METHODS: Reputation Institute's RepTrak System report was used for selection of 5 highly rated pharmaceutical companies (A-E). Electronic newspapers were selected based on US circulation within the selected time period. Lexalytics sentiment analysis software was used for analysis of relevant articles appearing in the selected newspapers. RESULTS: A total of 797 articles were analyzed; 63% were assessed as neutral, 24% as negative, and 14% as positive. The overall median sentiment scores (scale ranging from -2 through [Formula: see text]2) for companies A through E across all newspapers were determined to be [Formula: see text]0.026, [Formula: see text]0.03, [Formula: see text]0.028, [Formula: see text]0.034, and [Formula: see text]0.033, respectively. The most frequent topics were merger/acquisition/ re-structuring, finances/stocks/profits, and other, which included topics such as transparency of pharmaceutical industry data, lack of drug efficacy, and innovation. CONCLUSION: Overall, pharmaceutical companies were represented similarly across newspapers and most articles were assessed as neutral. However, on analysis of all nonneutral articles, all categories were assessed as negative with the exception of finances/stocks/profits.

[Study on press coverage about the exodus of Spanish nurses to the United Kingdom]. / Estudio de las noticias publicadas en prensa del éxodo de enfermeras españolas al Reino Unido.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the media representation of the exodus of Spanish nurses to the United Kingdom through general information newspapers. METHODS: Content analysis, quantitative and qualitative. Documents published in the newspapers ABC, El País, El Mundo and La Razón, about "emigrants," "nurses" and "migrant health workers," were located from January 1, 2007, to December 31, 2016, with Boolean operators. This selected period corresponds to the beginning of the economic crisis and concludes in the year of the Brexit referendum in the United Kingdom. After applying the descriptors, 9559 texts were obtained. Once the noise of the documents was eliminated, 484 textual units were found. To carry out a more exhaustive analysis, the specific documents on "migrant nurses", which were 77, were selected and analysed qualitatively. RESULTS: a) 2013 was the year in which the most stories about emigration in general were published, and also about nurses in particular; b) the ABC newspaper published the most stories about the exodus of nurses to the United Kingdom (31); c) El País published the most texts on Spanish emigration, with a total of 397 documents; d) 98% of the headlines analysed (n = 77) had a negative tone; and e) social discourse had greater relevance than political discourse. CONCLUSIONS: The press promoted the push factor for nurses to migrate to the United Kingdom.

How the use of the term "schizo*" has changed in an Italian newspaper from 2001 to 2015: Findings from a descriptive analysis.

The study aims to report the number of newspaper articles including the word "schizo" in the period 2001 - 2015 and to identify possible predictors reinforcing negative stereotypes about people with schizophrenia. The electronic archives of the Italian newspaper "La Stampa" have been searched for the term "schizo". Selected articles were grouped in articles related to mental health (rMH) or article not related to mental health (nrMH). 946 articles were identified. Schizophrenia-related terms were used in 356 (36.03%) article rMH, which mainly reinforce negative stereotypes regarding mental illness both in rMH and nrMH groups. Over time, only in the rMH group a significant reduction of articles reinforcing negative stereotypes was found. Several factors have been identified as predictors of article reinforcing negative stereotypes: unnecessarily dramatic or sensational headline or content; inaccurate or not in the correct context use of medical terminology; emphasis to the illness rather than to the person; mental disorders are the same; disclosure of particular individual has a mental illness. Although there has been a significant reduction in stigmatizing articles, in the rMH group one article out of three reinforces negative stereotypes.

Fidelity assessment of the suicide reporting guidelines in Korean newspapers.

BACKGROUND: With the dishonor of being the highest suicide rated country in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, South Korea should take more initiatives in suicide prevention. Although the role of the media and its relation to actual suicide attempts has been tested and supported by many studies, the suicide reporting guidelines are not well followed. The purpose of this study is to examine how well Korean newspapers adhere to existing guidelines and to suggest limitation and improvements for the current guidelines. METHODS: Five mainstream newspapers in South Korea, namely, Kyunghyang Shinmun, Hankyoreh, Chosun Ilbo, JoongAng Daily, and Dong-A Ilbo, were chosen for the analysis. Using the Naver news search engine, articles dated from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2017, were selected with the keyword "suicide" and advanced option "printed newspaper." However, articles, columns, opinions, and reviews that utilized the word "suicide" in a general context were excluded from the final analysis. Finally, the number of cases was narrowed down to 368. Each article was analyzed using the guideline framework consisting of 13 items: sensational coverage, overstatement, direct wording, method used, details about site/location, photographs, suicide note, generalization, speculation, romanticization, interviews with the bereaved, help-seeking information, and public education. RESULTS: More than 60% of the articles included direct wording (63.9%), mentioned the method used (68.2%), and provided details about the site or location (74.5%). Nearly half of the articles revealed the contents of the suicide note (44.6%). Less than 3% of the suicide reports had information about hotline logo or phone numbers (1.4%) and facts regarding suicide and suicide prevention (2.2%). CONCLUSIONS: Our study revealed that the guidelines were ineffective in their monitoring role and that most of the newspapers were incompliant with many significant guideline items in South Korea. Our findings not only explore the limitations of the current guidelines but also provide an important rationale as to why there should be stronger suicide monitoring regulation or an agency with sufficient authority to prevent suicide in a nation-wide scale.

The contribution of Cyprus to non-communicable diseases and biomedical research from 2002 to 2013: implications for evidence-based health policy.

BACKGROUND: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading causes of disease burden and mortality at the European level and in Cyprus. This research was conducted to map the research activities of Cypriot institutions in five NCDs, namely oncology, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, mental health and respiratory conditions. METHODS: For the period 2002-2013, research in Cyprus was assessed on its biomedical outputs and compared to the rest of Europe relative to their GDP. The research output in the five NCDs was obtained and contrasted to their respective disease burdens. The results from each of the five NCDs showed the amount of cross-country collaboration with other researchers from other European countries and from the rest of the world, and the research level of the papers on a clinical to basic scale. For each NCD field the research application was assessed, whereas for oncology the research type was also assessed. Information was collected on the development of clinical guidelines, on Cypriot newspapers reporting on medical and policy documents and advisory committees' output as well as research and funding organisations available in Cyprus, for potential evaluation of impact in health policy on the five NCDs. RESULTS: Cypriot biomedical research output appeared appropriate in volume compared with its wealth and the expected value from a regression line for other European countries. However, it was focused particularly on the molecular mechanisms of transmittable or hereditary diseases, rather than on the five NCDs. Cyprus performs well in palliative care, which receives funding from several local charities and other non-profit organisations. Cyprus has the highest relative burden from diabetes in Europe, but the subject is largely neglected by researchers. Similarly, it suffers more from mental disorders than most of the rest of Europe, but the amount of research is relatively small. Respiratory conditions research is under-funded and under-researched too. CONCLUSIONS: The biomedical research portfolio in Cyprus is adequate in volume, but not well fitted to its pattern of disease. The means whereby research can be used to improve healthcare in the country are also unsatisfactory, although the Ministry of Health is now developing a comprehensive plan which will include the development of clinical guidelines and proposals for the evaluation of how healthcare is delivered on the island.

How is chronic non-communicable respiratory conditions research reported in European newspapers? An impact assessment for policy.

BACKGROUND: Newspapers are an important means for the communication of medical research findings to policy-makers and the public, but may distort their views on the relative importance of research into, and burden from, different respiratory diseases. METHODS: A systematic search strategy based on respiratory-related keywords was developed and translated into 15 European languages to identify relevant stories in 26 newspapers from eight countries in 2002-2013. Details of the stories were recorded on Excel and coded based on the reported respiratory conditions (asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other) and research types. Each cited research study was identified on the Web of Science and downloaded for analysis. FINDINGS: There were far more stories about asthma than on COPD, although the amount of research was only modestly greater, and the disease burden far less. Epidemiology, lifestyle and genetics research received the most media attention but not in all newspapers, while means of diagnosis and quality of life were under-reported in all newspapers. Journalists tended to over-cite research from their country by a factor averaging four times more than other researchers. About 10% of stories included a quote from a commentator, especially those in the two UK newspapers, with most of the quotes from UK charities. CONCLUSIONS: The balance between disease areas reported in European newspaper stories is very misleading. European policy-makers and public may perceive asthma as more burdensome than it is and COPD much less. The study also showed that UK charities, but not those in other European countries, gained significant publicity from their contributions to these stories.

Mapping the Health Information Landscape in a Rural, Culturally Diverse Region: Implications for Interventions to Reduce Information Inequality.

The media is an important source of health information, especially critical in rural communities with geographically-dispersed populations that are harder to reach through other channels. Yet health information is unequally distributed; these information disparities are compounded in rural areas, which may contribute to health disparities. We identify and describe health-related news in a culturally-diverse rural California county characterized by high levels of poverty, unemployment, low educational attainment, and over half of Mexican-origin. We conducted a census of all available print news sources and then used content analysis to identify and characterize all health information printed in a 6-month study period. A total of 570 health-related articles were published. Five newspapers accounted for more than 80% of published health-related articles (n = 466); only one targeted the majority Latino population. The most common topic was access to health care/insurance/policy (33%), followed by diet/nutrition (13%), infectious disease (10%), and general prevention (9%). Just over one-quarter of health-related articles included useful information. Differences across newspaper types existed: independent newspapers reported more on health-related events compared with chain newspapers, and both ethnic-targeted newspapers and independently-published papers were more likely to include useful information compared with chain newspapers. While this region suffers from high rates of obesity and diabetes, there were relatively few articles on obesity and diabetes themselves, or linking behavioral risk factors with these conditions. One area we found absent from coverage pertained to the numerous environmental health threats prevalent in this heavily polluted, agricultural area (just 40 articles discussed environmental health threats). We also discovered that coverage of social determinants of health was lacking (just 24 of the 570 health articles), which was notable in a region that suffers extreme economic, educational, and health disparities. This analysis of a rural region's local news coverage of health issues demonstrates significant opportunity to engage with rural local media, particularly ethnic media, to disseminate health information. Such a strategy holds considerable promise to advance public health goals using a multilevel approach: From an individual perspective, improving the amount and utility of the information can inform and educate publics in areas with otherwise low levels of health information access. From a policy perspective, improving coverage of the social determinants of health could shape public opinion to support policies that improve health.

'Appeals to nature' in marriage equality debates: A content analysis of newspaper and social media discourse.

In May 2015, Ireland held a referendum to legalize same-sex marriage, which passed with 62% of the vote. This study explores the role played by 'appeals to nature' in the referendum debate. Little research has investigated how biological attributions are spontaneously generated in real-world discourse regarding sexual rights. Through content analysis of newspaper and Twitter discussion of the referendum, this study aims to (1) establish the frequency of appeals to nature and their distribution across the various 'sides' of the debate and (2) analyse the forms these natural claims took and the rhetorical functions they fulfilled. Appeals to nature occurred in a minority of media discussion of the referendum (13.6% of newspaper articles and .3% of tweets). They were more prominent in material produced by anti-marriage equality commentators. Biological attributions predominantly occurred in relation to parenthood, traditional marriage, gender, and homosexuality. The article analyses the rhetorical dynamics of these natural claims and considers the implications for marriage equality research and activism. The analysis suggests appeals to nature allow anti-marriage equality discourse adapt to a cultural context that proscribes outright disapproval of same-sex relationships. However, it also queries whether previous research has overemphasized the significance of biological attributions in discourse about groups' rights.

Ontario's Experience of Wind Energy Development as Seen through the Lens of Human Health and Environmental Justice.

The province of Ontario has shown great commitment towards the development of renewable energy and, specifically, wind power. Fuelled by the Green Energy Act (GEA) of 2009, the Province has emerged as Canada's leader in wind energy development (WED). Nonetheless, Ontario's WED trajectory is characterized by social conflicts, particularly around environmental health. Utilizing the Social Amplification of Risk Framework, this paper presents an eight-year longitudinal media content analysis conducted to understand the role Ontario's media may be playing in both reflecting and shaping public perceptions of wind turbine health risks. We find that before and after the GEA, instances of health risk amplification were far greater than attenuations in both quantity and quality. Discourses that amplified turbine health risks often simultaneously highlighted injustices in the WED process, especially after the GEA. Based on these findings, we suggest that Ontario's media may be amplifying perceptions of wind turbine health risks within the public domain. We conclude with policy recommendations around public engagement for more just WED.

Low-Cost National Media-Based Surveillance System for Public Health Events, Bangladesh.

We assessed a media-based public health surveillance system in Bangladesh during 2010-2011. The system is a highly effective, low-cost, locally appropriate, and sustainable outbreak detection tool that could be used in other low-income, resource-poor settings to meet the capacity for surveillance outlined in the International Health Regulations 2005.

Localized Health News Releases and Community Newspapers: A Method for Rural Health Promotion.

Newspaper health stories often originate with news releases from health organizations. Tailoring news releases to a particular mass media outlet increases the possibility that the release will result in a published story. This study describes a 2-year effort to promote coverage of health through dissemination of localized health news releases to newspapers. Each newspaper received stories tailored to that community. Localized elements of stories included local headlines and local data. Nearly half of newspapers in our study (48.2%) published at least one of our health news stories, and 541 health news stories were published as a result of the project. We also examined which types of newspapers were most likely to publish health news stories. Newspapers in rural versus suburban and urban areas were more likely to publish health news stories, as were midsized newspapers. In addition, rural newspapers were more likely than urban newspapers to publish stories about aging, specifically arthritis and heart disease. Our findings indicate that tailoring health news releases with local information and targeting releases to align with newspaper audience demographics could increase the quantity and quality of health-promoting information available to rural residents, who experience disparities in health care access and health outcomes.

Print news coverage of school-based human papillomavirus vaccine mandates.

BACKGROUND: In 2007, legislation was proposed in 24 states and the District of Columbia for school-based human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine mandates, and mandates were enacted in Texas, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Media coverage of these events was extensive, and media messages both reflected and contributed to controversy surrounding these legislative activities. Messages communicated through the media are an important influence on adolescent and parent understanding of school-based vaccine mandates. METHODS: We conducted structured text analysis of newspaper coverage, including quantitative analysis of 169 articles published in mandate jurisdictions from 2005 to 2009, and qualitative analysis of 63 articles from 2007. Our structured analysis identified topics, key stakeholders and sources, tone, and the presence of conflict. Qualitative thematic analysis identified key messages and issues. RESULTS: Media coverage was often incomplete, providing little context about cervical cancer or screening. Skepticism and autonomy concerns were common. Messages reflected conflict and distrust of government activities, which could negatively impact this and other youth-focused public health initiatives. CONCLUSIONS: If school health professionals are aware of the potential issues raised in media coverage of school-based health mandates, they will be more able to convey appropriate health education messages and promote informed decision-making by parents and students.

Improving rural newspaper coverage of nutrition stories: an educational assessment of editors' attitudes and learning needs.

Local newspapers are an important source of information for rural residents but often lack accurate or helpful nutrition-related information. To improve the quantity and quality of nutrition stories in rural, local newspapers, it is important to understand the perspective of editors. An online survey of 51 rural Midwest editors was conducted to assess attitudes toward writing nutrition stories, sources of information, perceived challenges, and interest in learning more about writing such stories. Of respondents, 49% were female, and 63% had at least a 4-year college degree. Through a mix of closed- and open-ended questions, the majority indicated positive attitudes toward nutrition stories, were confident in their abilities to write them, and expressed interest in learning more. Challenges cited include lack of print space, small staff, lack of specific requests from readers for nutrition stories, and the need to avoid offending local agricultural businesses. Results should be useful in planning an educational intervention for editors. Meanwhile, public health practitioners should provide concise press releases to their local newspapers about their activities. Also, greater expressions of appreciation from public health professionals and other readers may lead to higher prioritization of nutrition-related stories, and ultimately to an environment more supportive of healthy eating.

Implications for alcohol minimum unit pricing advocacy: what can we learn for public health from UK newsprint coverage of key claim-makers in the policy debate?

On May 24th 2012, Scotland passed the Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) Bill. Minimum unit pricing (MUP) is an intervention that raises the price of the cheapest alcohol to reduce alcohol consumption and related harms. There is a growing literature on industry's influence in policymaking and media representations of policies, but relatively little about frames used by key claim-makers in the public MUP policy debate. This study elucidates the dynamic interplay between key claim-makers to identify lessons for policy advocacy in the media in the UK and internationally. Content analysis was conducted on 262 articles from seven UK and three Scottish national newspapers between 1st May 2011 and 31st May 2012, retrieved from electronic databases. Advocates' and critics' constructions of the alcohol problem and MUP were examined. Advocates depicted the problem as primarily driven by cheap alcohol and marketing, while critics' constructions focused on youth binge drinkers and dependent drinkers. Advocates justified support by citing the intervention's targeted design, but critics denounced the policy as illegal, likely to encourage illicit trade, unsupported by evidence and likely to be ineffective, while harming the responsible majority, low-income consumers and businesses. Critics' arguments were consistent over time, and single statements often encompassed multiple rationales. This study presents advocates with several important lessons for promoting policies in the media. Firstly, it may be useful to shift focus away from young binge drinkers and heavy drinkers, towards population-level over-consumption. Secondly, advocates might focus on presenting the policy as part of a wider package of alcohol policies. Thirdly, emphasis on the success of recent public health policies could help portray the UK and Scotland as world leaders in tackling culturally embedded health and social problems through policy; highlighting past successes when presenting future policies may be a valuable tactic both within the UK and internationally.

Media coverage of cervical cancer and the HPV vaccine: implications for geographic health inequities.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the content of newspaper articles about cervical cancer and the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine published in Appalachia and identify potential differences in coverage as compared to the content of newspaper articles published in non-Appalachia Ohio. BACKGROUND: Individuals rely on media as an important source of health information. Inadequate coverage of health issues may reinforce health inequities such as the elevated cervical cancer incidence and mortality rates in Appalachia Ohio. METHODS: A content analysis was conducted of all newspaper articles about cervical cancer and the HPV vaccine published in Appalachia and non-Appalachia Ohio during 2006. FINDINGS: A total of 121 published newspaper articles (42 in Appalachia and 79 in non-Appalachia) about cervical cancer and the HPV vaccine were identified. Articles published in Appalachia Ohio were significantly less likely than articles published in non-Appalachia Ohio to provide information about the threat of cervical cancer and the efficacy of the HPV vaccine. Specifically, few articles published in Appalachia included information about the ability of the vaccine to prevent cervical cancer, the cost of the vaccine and the availability of assistance programmes for the un- and underinsured. CONCLUSIONS: Newspaper articles printed in the Appalachia region lacked vital information that could help promote uptake of the HPV vaccine. Health educators and healthcare providers should be aware that women from underserved geographic regions like Appalachia may have greater information needs regarding their risk of cervical cancer and the potential benefits of the HPV vaccine as compared to the general patient population.