Revista Española de Comunicación en Salud
The Spanish Journal of Health Communication is a publication edited by the Spanish Association of Health Communication (AECS) and the Madrid University Carlos III , Spain. The journal will consider manuscripts for review related to Health Communication in any of its fields, aiming to disseminate and improve health communication in today's society, positioning itself as the scientific journal of health communication in Spanish. It is published every six months in open access electronic format and its reference languages are Spanish, Portuguese, English and Italian. Articles may be submitted in any of these languages.
UC3M MediaLab y Asociación Española de Comunicación Sanitaria
All articles published in this journal –unless otherwise stated- are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerives (CC-BY-ND 3.0 ES) Spain 3.0 License, which allows others to copy, distribute and transmit in a public way as long as they credit the author(s), journal and institution that publish these articles, and provided that they are not altered or modified. The complete license can be consulted in: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/es/deed/.es The copyright belongs to the manuscript’s author just on the basis of creating this work: Moral rights are undeniable and inalienable. Economic or exploitation rights can be transferred to third parties, as it occurs when articles are published and authors partially or totally transfer their exploitation rights to publishers Authors can archive their own articles in an institutional repository as long as their publications are cited in this journal.
Journalistic Coverage of Blood Collection and Transfusion Services in European Countries
Objective: This article identified and characterized the news about blood and hemotherapy services, according to the components of the health services system, published in the main widely circulated newspapers in Malta and France. Methodology: The study was based on the 2022 publications of the Times of Malta and Le Monde, and the corpus of analysis consisted of 69 news items. Results: The results pointed to: the population - blood donors and the public in need of transfusions; the need for infrastructure - technologies and knowledge - to organize and operate the services. The distribution and layout of services was informative. With regard to management and regulation, there was a predominance of updates on blood donation criteria, regardless of the applicant’s sexual orientation. Safety and hemovigilance were cross-cutting aspects, in addition to rare content on financing. Conclusion: It can be concluded that the media are important for expanding knowledge, positioning and contributing to changing attitudes on various subjects, constituting a possibility for the elaboration of a corpus for the development of studies, analysis and theoretical reflection on health topics, highlighted here on the organization and operation of blood collection and transfusion services.
Copyright (c) 2025 Revista Española de Comunicación en Salud
Fifteen years of growth, progress, and international reach
Communicative Competencies in Nursing Education
Introduction: Communication competencies are essential for ensuring quality healthcare and fostering effective collaborative practice. Objective: To analyze the inclusion of communication competencies in the Nursing Degree curricula of public and private universities in Spain. Methodology: A documentary review was conducted to identify mandatory communication-related courses and to examine the competencies included. Data were obtained from institutional websites and the Registry of Universities, Centers, and Degrees (RUCT) of the Spanish Ministry of Universities. Results: A total of 38 mandatory courses were identified across 61 universities, showing variability in titles and characteristics. Most courses (n=29) accounted for 6 European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS). Discrepancies were observed between the integration and classification of competencies in university programs and the RUCT. Conclusion: The study highlights a lack of uniformity in the classification of communication competencies between university curricula and the RUCT. Differences between official records and academic programs underscore the need to improve coherence and standardization in the provision of communication competencies, which are critical for the quality of nursing education and patient care.
O Exploring Health Literacy Perspectives Among Portuguese Community Pharmacists
Introduction: HL is a broad concept that encompasses the knowledge, motivation and skills to access, understand, evaluate and apply health information and is a critical element for patient autonomy and improved outcomes in healthcare systems. Objectives: This study aims to explore Portuguese community pharmacists' perspectives on health literacy (HL) and their role in improving it in patients. HL is becoming an even more relevant issue nowadays, as health systems are under increasing pressure due to longevity, lifestyles and environmental changes leading to new diseases. Methodology: A survey of 394 pharmacists across Portugal found that 96.95% recognise the importance of assessing patients' HL. Results: The majority of pharmacists use a variety of techniques, such as screening questions and the teach-back method, to measure HL levels and adapt their communication. This is a key element in influencing patients' health behaviour and improving their knowledge of their own health. Pharmacists also actively promote positive health behaviours and medication adherence, especially for non-communicable diseases. The findings underline the key role of pharmacists in improving HL, thereby contributing to better health outcomes and the sustainability of health systems.
Science-related conversations during family visits to a health exhibition at the Fiocruz Museum of Life (Rio de Janeiro/RJ)
Introduction: In this article, we investigate science-related conversations that took place during family visits to the exhibition “Aedes: What Mosquito Is This?” at the Museu da Vida Fiocruz (Rio de Janeiro/RJ/Brazil). Objectives: To analyze group dynamics within these conversations; identify strategies used by adult family members to promote children’s learning; reflect on the potential and challenges for children’s engagement and health learning during the visits. Methodology: Interactions during the visits were recorded using a GoPro camera attached to the chest of one child from each group. Science-related conversations considered complex were qualitatively analyzed. Family dynamics were identified through analysis categories that emerged from the data. Results: Adult visitors played an active and leading role, seeking to promote children’s learning through various strategies, with explanations given by adults to children being predominant. Identifications and associations with everyday life and prior experiences were also recurrent, mainly in the form of accounts of experiences with diseases, which proved fruitful for engagement and learning. Conclusion: The visit to the exhibition enabled health-related learning.
Tayana Galvão Scheiffer de Paula Antunes
School Violence and Mental Health in Chilean Digital Media Post-COVID-19
Introduction: According to the National Institute for Human Rights, in the first half of 2022, following the end of the Covid-19 pandemic, 1,700 more reports of school violence were recorded in the first half of 2022 compared to the previous two years and media coverage of violent crime has increased significantly. Objectives: to identify -under the model of Subjective Theories (ST)- those aspects present in the media discourse related to the causes, intervening conditions and strategies for dealing with school violence after the return to face-to-face attendance in Chilean educational establishments. This violence, exacerbated in the post-pandemic context, has a negative impact on the mental health of students, which makes it a relevant phenomenon for public health policies. Methodology: a comparative content analysis of the publications of SoyChile.cl and El Mostrador.cl during the last month of classes in 2022 was carried out. Results: both media explained the phenomenon as ‘a structural problem’, distancing diagnosis and treatment from the actors directly involved. Conclusion: school violence is considered an unavoidable and unapproachable reality, factors that exempt caregivers, teachers, principals, authorities and students who could eventually take an active part in the prevention or solution of the phenomenon from responsibility.
Fabiana Carola Rodríguez-Pastene Vicencio
Influencers, brands and sexual health promotion
Introduction: This research explores the case of Durex Spain’s branded content strategy on TikTok, specifically through its sexual advice series “Hay tema.” This project has been recognized and awarded at the TikTok Awards Spain (2022), Inspirational Awards (2023), BCMA Spain Awards (2023), and National Marketing Awards (2024). Objectives: The study aims to analyze the profile and characteristics of the influencers involved, their impact in terms of engagement, and the content formats used. Methodology: A quantitative-qualitative methodological triangulation has been adopted, combining content analysis with in-depth interviews. Results: The findings indicate that the reach and interaction of the content are not influenced by the influencer’s gender or their original audience, but rather by the interest generated by the topic of each post. Additionally, Durex demonstrates an adaptation to common content types and narratives on the platform, such as explanatory videos, video podcasts, and street interviews. Conclusion: The conclusions emphasize the importance for brands with educational goals to adapt their digital strategies to the preferences of younger generations. This involves adopting an accessible tone and popular formats that integrate infotainment and credibility.
Design and pilot testing of an educational strategy based on behavioral and communication models within Mutual Aid Groups to improve the lifestyle of people living with type 2 diabetes in Mexico
Abstract Introduction: Mutual Aid Groups (MAGs) are essential for the self-care of people living with type 2 diabetes (PLD) in Mexico. However, they have areas for improvement, particularly in communication between healthcare providers and PLD. Objective: To design and pilot a Healthy Living Educational Strategy for PLD (HLED) and evaluate its impact on their lifestyle. Methodology: The HLED was implemented in two MAGs (urban and rural) in Cuernavaca, Morelos. It was based on behavioral models and structured on the Multimedia Training Methodology, grounded in the Theoretical Model of Communication for Development and the Participatory Communication Model. The strategy included four monthly theoretical-practical workshops. Pre- and post-tests were conducted using the Validated Instrument to Measure the Lifestyle of PLD, generating a lifestyle index (0–100; higher scores indicate healthier lifestyles). Multiple regression models were used to evaluate the impact. Results: The study included 19 women and 4 men (mean age: 56.2 ± 10 years). Participants attending all workshops scored 34.04 points higher on the lifestyle index compared to those attending only one workshop (95% CI: 20.77, 47.31; p<0.01). Conclusion: The HLED shows potential to improve the lifestyle of PLD in MAGs.
Instagram and its influence on the mental health of young people in Extremadura
Introduction: The arrival of social networks today has caused the way we communicate, entertain and inform ourselves to evolve and, although they can provide multiple advantages, they can also be harmful, especially to the mental health of young people. Objective: To analyze the behavior and habits of young people from Extremadura on the Instagram platform, in order to understand its correlation with mental health. Methodology: A survey was administered covering four dimensions: socio-demographic profile; knowledge and usage of social media; usage and influence; and mental health and harmful habits. A total of 103 responses were collected from young people aged between 12 and 30 years. Results: It is noteworthy that young people from Extremadura are not fully informed about the risks that SM can pose, limiting their ability to recognize and address symptoms and negative consequences. Conclusion: It is vital to promote comprehensive digital education aimed at children, adolescents, and young adults, fostering the adoption of healthy practices and habits online.
Introduction: Podcasting has emerged as an easily accessible and user-friendly educational resource, utilized by educators to enhance the delivery of knowledge and academic content. Objectives: Analyze the use of a collection of podcasts - Xpódcast - in nursing degree teaching through students' consumption patterns and the satisfaction with this resource. Methodology: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on a sample of 130 students who completed a questionnaire that included sociodemographic questions, inquiries about podcast playback, and the Educational Podcast Satisfaction Questionnaire (SSEPQ). Results: The results showed that, overall, students were highly satisfied with the implementation of Xpódcast in the course (35.94 points on the SSEPQ scale), with all items rated above 3.4 points on average. There were gender differences regarding the location (p=0,042) and time of day (p=0.039) chosen by men and women for podcast playback. Conclusion: The evidence obtained positions podcasting as an effective academic tool for knowledge transmission. Its use and ubiquity facilitate the reinforcement of educational content that is taught in traditional classroom settings.
Public communication in the Region of Madrid about health and climate change
Introduction: To develop awareness among citizens on the deep relationship between socioeconomical model, climate change and health is a key element in tackling effective environmental and health policies. Objectives: This study plans to analyse if the communication policies address to the citizenship by the regional government of Madrid incorporate the deep interlinkage between socioeconomical model, climate change and health. Methodology: For that purpose, this work mainly focuses on the analysis of the discourses transmitted through the webpages belonging to the competent bodies in Health, Environment and Consumption. Results: The research performed reveals that the regional government of Madrid do not offer a frame that attends to the anthropogenic origin of climate change and its impact in the human health and introduce basically adaptation and mitigation solutions mainly based in individual action and responsibility. Conclusion: It is urgent, that government institutions offer to the citizenship a more holistic and transformative frame that integrate clime change in a public health context.
Introduction: Developing competencies for mental health care communication in media is fundamental, and Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) provides a model to guide the design of communicative interventions. Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of training to improve communicators competencies in designing effective strategies for mental health care in Colombian rural populations. Methodology: A convergent mixed methods study was conducted, integrating quantitative data (pre- and post-intervention questionnaires) and qualitative data (participant observation and follow-up focus group). Results: A statistically significant increase in the evaluated competencies was evidenced (from 4.6 to 7.5 points, p<0.001). The workshop enabled participants to experience the effectiveness of balancing threat and coping appraisals and to propose strategies for applying these guidelines in strategy design. The focus group confirmed that the practical-collaborative approach and adult education techniques were crucial for facilitating meaningful appropriation, although theoretical concept recall was limited. Conclusion: The training proved to be an effective strategy for improving competencies in designing communicative interventions to promote the adoption of mental health care behaviors, balancing threat appraisal with coping resources.
Implications of the COVID-19 infodemic for scientific communication and diffusion
Introduction: The COVID-19 infodemic complicated public adherence to public health measures during the pandemic and required strategies to improve communication and scientific dissemination. Objective: To review the literature on the implications of the infodemic for communication and scientific dissemination. Methodology: An integrative review was conducted based on a systematic search in the MEDLINE/PubMed, Scielo, Scopus, and Web of Science (WoS) databases between March and April 2024. A total of 62 articles were selected for analysis. Results: The articles were grouped into three main themes: (1) The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on scientific communication; (2) Infodemic control; and (3) Communication and scientific dissemination practices. Discussion: The widespread use of social media intensified communication and scientific dissemination but also amplified the spread of misinformation, requiring strategies for information control and greater collaboration among scientists, media, and government organizations. Scientific literacy and community engagement with science were widely recommended. Conclusion: It is essential to preserve the integrity of science and promote open dialogue between scientists and the public to improve trust and understanding of science.
Building Credible Brands through Corporate Websites
Introduction: Hospitals manage their websites to reinforce their relationships with stakeholders and build the brand collectively with them. Objective: This paper aims to analyze how French hospitals use their websites to share content that reinforces relationships with stakeholders and promotes their brands. Methodology: We conducted a literature review of hospitals’ corporate communication initiatives, branding efforts, and online branding initiatives. Then, we defined 40 brand indicators to quantitatively analyze how France’s 100 best hospitals managed their corporate websites to interact with healthcare professionals, patients, media companies, and shareholders. Results: Our results proved that most hospitals had a section for healthcare professionals (61,62%), patients (96,97%), media companies (98,99%), and shareholders (100%); however, they only respected, on average, 12,39 brand indicators out of 40 applicable. Conclusion: We concluded that most French hospitals used their websites to share administrative information, not to promote their healthcare professionals' brand value or to establish an emotional connection with patients.
Digital Identity and Content Communication of Well-being Influencers from Hispanic America
Introduction: The post-pandemic health crisis has amplified the pursuit of physical and mental well-being. Within this context, influencers have become significant figures in the dissemination of emotional wellness content, influencing perceptions and promoting self-care practices. Objectives: This study investigates the digital identity and communication strategies employed by Spanish-speaking influencers specializing in emotional and spiritual well-being on Instagram. Specifically, it examines their digital identity, engagement metrics, publication objectives, thematic content, and resource utilization. Methodology: A quantitative content analysis was performed on 300 Instagram posts from 15 influencers, categorized into three distinct currents: academic (psychology, psychoanalysis, philosophy), non-academic (new age, holistic approaches, coaching), and religious/wisdom traditions (Eastern, Western, and ancestral). Results: The findings reveal that a majority of influencers possess verified accounts and use transmedia communication reach more audience. Despite substantial follower counts, engagement levels are predominantly low to moderate. Content primarily centers on reflective insights, practical advice, and self-promotional material.Influencers prioritize accessible and motivational resources, such as inspirational quotes, captions, and music, over more complex visual formats for message delivery. Conclusions: Wellness influencers mold perceptions of emotional health by employing accessible communication strategies and marketable lifestyle narratives.
New paradigms for conducting content analysis in health-related information
Challenges of Primary Healthare and stakes of health communication
Primary Care (PC) has a prominent role in public health because it includes the whole of society and aims to ensure the highest possible level of health and well-being. The Member States of the European Union are committed to renewing and expanding PC as the cornerstone of a sustainable health system to achieve Universal Health. Objectives. To show the values of PA as the main interface between the health system and individuals and the main current gaps. PA can shape and reshape health systems to make them more accessible, more integrated and more sustainable. . A qualitative-documentary methodology of a criticalinterpretative nature was used to analyze the texts produced by the Institutions and Organizations, chosen by means of a systematic selective sampling based on a deliberate and intentional selection criterion for their perceived importance in the field of PA. Conclusions. The efficiency offered by PA and its potential to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals is still struggling with insufficient resources and quality PA requires time, collaboration, specialized training and investment in professionals.
At the core of the genome of Primary Care lies its vocation for universality and its rejection of the logic of the market. The purpose of the primary care is to solve the health need, even if not demanded, and protecting the patient from the excess of the medical activity. Countries with a strong PC achieve better health outcomes, greater equity and lower costs. However, for the last two decades, politicians have done practically nothing to empower and strengthen Spanish PC. To do this, they must reinforce their essential characteristics: accessibility, continuity, versatility and coordination. Gradually abandoned by the citizens with a higher level of education, income status and greater political and media influence (sociological skimming), our PC is further weakened thanks to the invaluable collaboration of politicians who, for many years, have been strangling its budget and offering to these influential citizens private health care alternatives, without PC, financed with public resources (“Mutualismo Administrativo”) or fiscally incentivized (private health insurance). It seems that Spanish politicians want a PC degenerated into charity for those who don't have other choices. Is it because many of them are part of those influential sectors of population?
More is not always better (in health services)
In the current Western societies there is a problem of variability in the use of healthcare services and products, without it being proven that greater use produces better health, but rather the opposite. We have a false idea that more is always better. Although it may seem counterintuitive, the truth is that prevention, for example, is not always better than cure. Early diagnosis is not always beneficial. Through the four specific situations analyzed throughout the article, it is clear that, currently, in health services, we have a double problem: access for marginalized populations and excess for the rest of the population. Finally, some proposals of “what to do” are provided to counteract the harmful effects of medical excesses and inequities in the provision of health care services. In this sense, the role of the general practitioner and primary care is vital for our universal health care system, because it is they who reach the most disadvantaged and marginalized groups, “defend” all their patients from overdiagnosis and overtreatment, and offer generalist, assertive, reflective clinical care that transforms the provision of health care.
The paradoxical strength of primary healthcare and the course of the National Health System
Health systems based on strong primary care are superior because they achieve more health at lower cost and with equity. Primary care in Spain has generally good indicators, but young physicians shy away from family medicine in primary care and there is a dissociation between private and social values: what is socially necessary is not individually attractive to many professionals. In recent years there have been multiple plans and strategies, at international, state and regional levels, to “save” primary care, and an intense debate, tinged with interests, in which the labor demands of workers are sometimes identified with social welfare. The main idea of the organizational changes is that every minute of professional contributes value, and that each professional works at the limit of his or her competencies. Some clear and exemplary signals can be very effective, such as improving economic and working conditions in primary care, the greater presence of family medicine in universities and the encouragement of research in primary care. The generational renewal of family physicians and the potential of digitalization to consolidate networks where rural professionals do not feel isolated are reasons for optimism.
Despite the immense strengths of Primary Care (PC) and Family and Community Medicine (FCM) as health investment strategies, there is a social invisibilization surrounding them. The invisibility of PC is basically due to: 1/ the invisibility of promotion and prevention, and of quaternary prevention; 2/ the hospital-centrism of teaching, care, management, politics, research and the media, and 3/ its “media invisibility”. These threats are analyzed, and solutions are proposed such as reversing the hospital-centrism teaching model, starting with the addition of FCM as a core element in medical schools; abandoning the terms primary care physician or general practitioner, since the official term has been family doctor since 1998; recognizing the work performed by PC teams and family doctors in their capacity to resolve the most prevalent health problems; adequately funding PC, improving human resource planning; enhancing the organization and internal management of PC teams; redirecting research towards biopsychosocial, community, digital aspects, etc. And commit to structuring external assessment and the role of the media.
This article explores the complex and often problematic relationships between the healthcare system and the pharmaceutical lobby, with a particular focus on the dynamics in primary care. It analyses how pharmaceutical multinationals exert their influence through lobbying activities, which, at a professional level, compromise transparency and independence in clinical decision-making. In healthcare systems, these practices include setting high prices, extending patents and using marketing strategies that can distort medical care, impacting both the sustainability of the National Health System (NHS) and the quality of care received by patients. Furthermore, the text highlights the fundamental role of Primary Care (PC) as a key pillar to counteract these influences. PC, with its patient-centred approach and evidence-based medicine, can act as a brake on commercial interests. In this context, the importance of transparent and responsible communication is underlined to ensure that medical decisions continue to prioritise public health. Finally, the article calls for reforms to promote transparency and safeguard the integrity of the health system.
For some people, Primary Healthcare is the access door to complex services that will come later. For others, it is the foundation of the health system on which citizen rights and guarantees of well-being are built. Primary Care suffers from a chronic bad image. However, numerous studies indicate that the reality does not correspond to the image of a "state of demolition" that it seems to have today. The image of a service, and Primary Healthcare is it, is built on perceptions. In many cases, immune to the weight of the data. If the image is an amalgam of perceptions, the brand is a conscious construction that combines vision, strategy and resources that are used to transfer the value of what is offered in a structured and conscious way. A brand is the distinctive set of ideas and feelings that people have towards a service, product or organization to which it refers. It is a relationship that generates feelings, thoughts, and actions connected to the promise of value. Primary Healthcare is a service whose potential and image are far below the real value of its brand. Primary Healthcare is based on a crisis narrative and a perception of deterioration that makes it difficult to manage its brand. A brand that must be redefined from the prism of the value it brings, a unique value: the health as the first social right.
Why a special issue on primary care in the Spanish Journal of Health Communication?
It does not have a summary, it is an editorial
This article explores the current crisis in Primary Care (PC) within the healthcare system, emphasizing its progressive devaluation in the face of hospital hypertrophy and other care models. PC, crucial for its comprehensive, personalized, and continuous approach, faces multiple threats: economic interests (pharmaceutical, technology, and insurance industries), public ignorance, and media narratives favouring hospital-based and mutualized care. Despite being essential for public health and system efficiency, PC lacks prestige, adequate funding, and effective communication strategies to highlight its importance. While citizens prioritize faster but less holistic models, political and economic stakeholders seem to disregard evidence supporting stronger PC. The article calls for a renewed focus on promoting PC as an indispensable «brand» through effective campaigns that educate and raise awareness among the population about its vital importance for the health of the population and for the efficiency of the system itself.
Communicating experiences of emotional self-regulation and self-efficacy for the well-being of older adults in Europe
Introduction: In the face of situations of vulnerability such as COVID-19, the need for older adults to manage emotions and the need for qualified personnel to detect emotional self-care needs has been highlighted. Society suffers from an ageism that harms the well-being of the silver generation, worsens their quality of life, and increases social isolation. Objectives: to identify the experiences that are currently communicated to older people for emotional self-care, and to analyse these experiences to determine areas for improvement. Methodology: case study of a European project involving 5 organizations offering senior care programs in Poland, Spain, Italy, France, and Germany. Results: the implementation of experiences ―creative workshops, mindfulness and relaxation platforms, social and recreational activities― improve emotional well-being, although programs that communicate emotional skills for healthy aging are scarce. Conclusions: it is necessary to communicate the development of protective psychological factors for emotional self-care.
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Narrative analysis of audience engagement towards health campaigns on Facebook
Introduction: The active role of the audience in the creation of information in media such as Facebook, and their engagement in digital publications should be considered by health institutions to strengthen their health communication capacities. Objective: To narratively analyze the comments of two health communication publications with high engagement on Facebook and their effect on the orientation towards the publication as a creative product and towards its intention. Methodology: Qualitative study of narrative research. Results: In the analysis of Campaign A, on condom use, and Campaign B, on organ donation, the common categories identified were: narrative resources, language specificities, and main character; and the differentiators: educational instrument and music. Campaign A obtained positive orientations towards its product and intention. Campaign B had a positive orientation towards its product; however, the controversial load of its elements provoked a negative orientation towards its intention. Conclusion: Health communication strategies should have methods of analysis of audience engagement considering their orientation towards creative products and their intention. Although a publication may stand out statistically, this does not guarantee the effect towards the pursued purpose.
Content analysis of diagnosis and treatment of osteoarthritis in general media in Spain
Introduction: Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the leading causes of disability and has a significant socioeconomic impact on public healthcare. Given the chronic nature of OA and the lack of effective treatments, patients often seek information from the media. Objectives: To describe and evaluate the quality of information on the diagnosis and treatment of OA published in Spanish generalist media, as well as to know the type of information source consulted for the publications evaluated. Methodology: A search was conducted in five Spanish generalist newspapers (El País, El Mundo, La Vanguardia, 20minutos, and ABC) from 2018 to 2022, including their digital versions. A comparative analysis of the quality of recommendations was carried out using the clinical guideline of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Results: A total of 67 articles were included. 94.1% of the articles that defined OA did so exclusively in terms of the etiology of joint cartilage degeneration. The most frequent treatment recommendation (47.6%) was pharmacological treatment. 52.2% of the sources used were based on specialist healthcare professionals. Conclusion: The analysis of articles published in the press revealed a prevailing trend of presenting an outdated, mechanistic definition of OA focused on cartilage wear. The recommendations presented a low level of agreement with scientific evidence.
Analysis of the social discourse on COVID-19 in the Spanish digital media
Introduction: The media and social media have informed the public about the details and the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent prevalence of Long COVID. There has been growing concern throughout that information should be accurate, sufficient, and truthful. Objective: The aim of this research is to identify this discourse in the Spanish digital media world in order to understand the media representations they produce and to improve communication awareness campaigns. Methods: Adopting a threefold methodological approach (Social Medial Listening, discourse analysis and social representation), the media discourse of Long COVID on different social media and in Spanish digital media is analysed for 12 months using the DIGIMIND tool. The five components of Laswell’s Model of Communication: who; (says) what; (to) whom, which (channel) and what (effect), are evaluated and reported. Results: The analysis shows, among other results, which keywords are most present in social media and in digital press; the most consulted sources of information; or how information links are established between those studied. Conclusions: Based on these findings, an effective communication guide on Long COVID has been developed with a set of recommendations to be implemented by government agencies, health communication specialists and affected groups.
The media coverage of the suicide death of Verónica Forqué
Introduction: The suicide of Spanish actress Verónica Forqué generated ethical debate on the media treatment of such cases, highlighting the risk of the Werther effect (contagion) versus the potential Papageno effect (prevention). The WHO encourages a cautious approach to the issue. Objectives: To determine the characteristics and adherence to WHO recommendations of the coverage of the death by suicide of the actress Verónica Forqué in the Spanish media. Methodology: Content analysis is used, as well as inductive and deductive analysis of the news published by Elpais.com, Elmundo.es and ABC.es between December 13, the date of the actress’ death, and December 31 2021. Results: The Spanish general media offered extensive coverage of the death by suicide of Verónica Forqué. They did so, above all, in the Culture section, with information based, especially, on friends and relatives, and with limited adherence to the WHO recommendations. Discussion: The current codes of ethics are committed to limited coverage of the suicide of relevant people and to having expert sources and information on resources to prevent it. Conclusions: the coverage of Verónica Forqué’s death by suicide was based on her celebrity status and was broader than that of anonymous people. The media partially adheres to the WHO recommendations. The study puts on the table the need to work on specific guidelines or criteria to address death by suicide of celebrities.