"Contact experts and patients": evolution of the sources of health information after COVID19
- Aitor Ugarte-Iturrizaga Carlos III University of Madrid https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6666-5780
- Daniel Catalán-Matamoros Carlos III University of Madrid https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7783-4984
Abstract
Sources influence the quality and orientation of health news and make it possible to explain and humanize the data. With the aim of finding out whether there were changes in health journalistic sources after the pandemic, we analyzed the contents and interviewed 16 specialized journalists from the general press, radio and television with large audiences in Spain. The quantitative results show that experts are the most frequent main source after COVID19 followed by patients and state institutions, which is a significant change (p < 0.001) with respect to pre-pandemic, when institutions were in first place. Qualitatively, health journalists express their criticism and distrust of official sources. We can conclude that there are changes and an evolution in health journalistic sources in Spain, which further studies will determine whether it only affects the general media.
Author Biographies
Doctor en Investigación de Medios de Comunicación y profesor en el Departamento de Comunicación de la Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. Miembro del equipo de trabajo de proyectos de investigación competitivos nacionales e internacionales sobre periodismo/comunicación y salud, desinformación y alfabetismo mediático. Ha trabajado en medios de comunicación (Cadena SER, CNN+), como responsable de comunicación en AAPP (Agencia Antidroga, Madrid Salud) y como consultor de organizaciones. Autor o coautor de más de 30 publicaciones entre artículos, libros y capítulos de libros. 290 citas e Índice H = 8 en Google Scholar. Fundador y primer editor-jefe de Revista de Comunicación y Salud (2011-2014).
Catedrático en el Departamento de Comunicación de la Universidad Carlos III de Madrid y director del grupo de investigación MediaLab. Previamente trabajó en el ámbito de gestión de comunicación de crisis en organizaciones internacionales tales como la OMS, Centro Europeo de Prevención y Control de Enfermedades, y Ministerio de Sanidad en España. Actualmente, es consultor para el Alto Comisionado de Naciones Unidas para los Refugiados y dirige varios proyectos sobre desinformación y noticias falsas. Es presidente de la Asociación Española de Comunicación Sanitaria y editor-jefe de la Revista Española de Comunicación en Salud. Entre los indicios de calidad, destacan 3.200 citas, un índice H = 31 en Google Scholar, 3 sexenios de investigación y la acreditación I3.
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