Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis of Health News in Indias National and Regional Newspapers using Media Doctor India MDI Tool with Special Focus on News Relating to Neurological Disorders

Abstract

Delivery of health to people and their wellbeing has a lot to do with people s newlineknowledge, attitude and perceptions about disease, illness and medicine. And in shaping newlinethese perceptions, media (newspapers, television, radio and social media messaging) plays a newlinecritical role. The issues, subjects and themes relating to health and lifestyle that figure newlineprominently in media become prominent in the public mind as well. The coverage of health newlinein mass media and its quality is very critical as mass media is a key source of health-related newlineinformation for the general public. Media is also most often the first source of information for newlinedoctors and policy makers - about new developments in health and medicine. Health news newlinein media helps shape the opinion of people about diseases, new procedures and drugs, newlinemedical research, prevention of diseases, government health schemes, and influences their newlinehealth-seeking behaviour, and thus, influences decisions relating to their wellbeing. That s newlinewhy all health communication and disease prevention strategies emphasise on health newlinemessaging through mass media. newline