Injecting fun? Humour, conspiracy theory and (anti)vaccination discourse in popular media.

Conspiracy theories have accompanied vaccination since its mass introduction, circulating, among other forms, in humour - such as cartoons, and now, memes. Importantly, humour has targeted both vaccination and anti-vaccination stances. In this study, we discuss the peculiarities of humorous content within the vaccination debate and uncover the most popular thematic categories, forms and logical mechanisms of humour. We show that humorous and serious discussions on vaccination go hand-in-hand, but playfulness and ambiguity of humour complicate public understanding of the vaccination debate. Our analysis shows that vaccination humour often simplifies the complex issue of vaccination and makes it more understandable and more tangible for a broad audience.

Research on media framing of public policies to prevent chronic disease: A narrative synthesis.

Media coverage plays a key role in shaping public and political attitudes towards policy interventions to improve health. We reviewed studies of news media to identify the arguments used to frame policies that address risk factors for chronic disease, and the impact of different arguments on attitudes to policy. Drawing on a previous scoping review, we identified a subsample of 49 studies of media framing of policies to address risk factors for lifestyle-related chronic disease for further analysis. We extracted and synthesised data to explore key themes. Of the limited research that has been undertaken, most studies have focused on tobacco policy, followed by alcohol, with a small number of studies of food and beverage policies. Studies have primarily used content analysis. Our synthesis demonstrated that advocates and opponents draw on five frames: health, social, economic, practical and ideological. Only a small number of studies have examined the impact of framing on public attitudes towards policy interventions, although such studies have tended to focus on the impact of how problems, rather than solutions (i.e. policies) are framed. Media research is crucial to understanding the complex ways in which attitudes towards policy interventions shape, and are shaped by, public discourses and can provide public health advocates with insights into strategies to successfully position policy arguments. This review highlights key insights and gaps in the hope that this will stimulate further research that will enhance public health advocates' abilities to promote effective public health policy.

Stakeholder relations in Australian science journalism.

This study explores the relationships between scientists, science communicators and science journalists in Australia. Building upon a smaller previous study, this article provides an overview of the science media landscape across a nation through the use of semi-structured interviews with members of stakeholder groups. Although relationships between each of the groups are generally positive, a lack of clear understanding of the professional practice and cultures of the different groups sometimes appear to hinder positive interactions. Many scientists continue to lament the need for journalists to understand more science, yet very few make similar comments about the need for scientists to know more about media. Refocusing on sharing the responsibility for science reporting may be a means of bridging the identified cultural divide.

'Human' or 'objective' faces of science? Gender stereotypes and the representation of scientists in the media.

This article examines contemporary representations of female and male scientists in The New York Times with a particular emphasis on stereotypes related to gender and science as a profession. The selected series of profiles is approximately proportional in its representation of women in science and generally gives a rounded and diverse picture of their subjects. Traditionally 'masculine' characteristics (e.g. individual drive and brilliance) as well as 'feminine' communal skills (e.g. collaboration, communication and teamwork) are attributed to both male and female scientists. Nevertheless, textual and image analyses reveal that some differences remain in the treatment of male and female subjects, particularly in the unequal focus on combining family and career. This research identifies progress in media representations of scientists in comparison to previous studies. However, there is still room for improvement, especially in the representation of scientists from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

How can university sexual health promotion events reach those most at risk? A cross-sectional study.

Background The rate of notifications of sexually transmissible infections (STIs) in Australians has increased dramatically, especially in those aged 16-30 years. This age bracket, typical of university students, is the most likely to report multiple sexual partners in the previous year. Individuals who have sex with multiple partners in a year have a significantly increased chance of contracting an STI, making them an important audience for sexual health promotion. This study aimed to determine how university sexual health promotion events can better reach this higher-risk subset of the population. METHODS: Two anonymous cross-sectional surveys were used to understand current and ideal sexual health promotion events through the perspectives of student leaders (n=62) and general university students (n=502). RESULTS: Students who had more than one sexual partner in the previous year (the higher-risk group) made up 22.7% of the students sampled. Higher-risk students differed substantially from lower-risk students in terms of preferred event types, incentives and topics to be covered, often prioritising those rarely used in current university sexual health events. CONCLUSION: While current university sexual health events include some features that align with student priorities, elements beyond sexual health information, such as social activity, alcohol incentives and on-site sexual health testing, can be helpful tools to attract students with higher numbers of sexual partners.

Perils and positives of science journalism in Australia.

Scientists, science communicators and science journalists interact to deliver science news to the public. Yet the value of interactions between the groups in delivering high-quality science stories is poorly understood within Australia. A recent study in New Zealand on the perspectives of the three groups on the challenges facing science journalism is replicated here in the context of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. While all three groups perceived the quality of science journalism as generally high, the limitations of non-specialists and public relation materials were causes for concern. The results indicate that science communicators are considered to play a valuable role as facilitators of information flow to journalists and support for scientists. Future studies on the influence and implications of interactions between these three groups are required.