News coverage of Mexico's front-of-package food label policy.

OBJECTIVES: To examine news coverage of Mexico's front-of-package food labelling policy. METHODS: We used Lexis Nexis to identify newspaper articles that mention the proposed law in four Mexican newspapers representing politically centre-left and centre-right perspectives. We coded for type and valence of arguments, sources and research evidence cited. RESULTS: We identified N=361 relevant articles. Coverage of the front-of-package food label policy was primarily news (vs editorial/opinion). While most were neutral in tone, left-leaning newspapers had slightly more positive overall coverage compared with right-leaning newspapers, indicated by publishing more stories in favour of the policy, fewer in opposition, more propolicy arguments and more frequent inclusion of perspectives by government officials and public health advocates. Despite some evidence of bias, there was a general lack of credible opposition to the policy and mention of opponents across newspapers. CONCLUSIONS AND POLICY IMPLICATIONS: The relative absence of food and beverage industry stakeholders in news coverage of the food label policy is unexpected given their documented involvement in prior food policy debates. We discuss possible reasons for their conspicuous absence and lessons for public health advocates around the globe.

"It Was as Though My Spirit Left, Like They Killed Me": The Disruptive Impact of an HIV-Positive Diagnosis among Women in the Dominican Republic.

An HIV diagnosis may be associated with severe emotional and psychological distress, which can contribute to delays in care or poor self-management. Few studies have explored the emotional, psychological, and psychosocial impacts of an HIV diagnosis on women in low-resource settings. We conducted in-depth interviews with 30 women living with HIV in the Dominican Republic. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using the biographical disruption framework. Three disruption phases emerged (impacts of a diagnosis, postdiagnosis turning points, and integration). Nearly all respondents described the news as deeply distressful and feelings of depression and loss of self-worth were common. Several reported struggling with the decision to disclose-worrying about stigma. Postdiagnosis turning points consisted of a focus on survival and motherhood; social support (family members, friends, HIV community) promoted integration. The findings suggest a need for psychological resources and social support interventions to mitigate the negative impacts of an HIV diagnosis.