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Science Communication
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Print Media Coverage of Antibiotic Resistance

Malini Desilva

Marc A. T. Muskavitch

John P. Roche

Boston College

We analyzed articles from major newspapers in the United States and Canada (1998-2002) to determine the extent to which articles presented information related to antibiotic resistance. Almost three quarters of the articles analyzed mentioned the problem of antibiotic resistance, but most did so in qualitative terms (e.g., stating that antibiotic-resistant bacteria were " increasingly present") rather than in numerical (e.g., "Twenty-five strains were resistant") or statistical terms (e.g., "Twenty-five out of 100 Streptococcus pneumoniae strains sampled were resistant to vancomycin"). Only one quarter of all articles contained information on two key risk-reduction measures people can take to reduce the spread of antibiotic resistance: taking antibiotics only for bacterial infections, and taking the full course of a prescription. These findings suggest that the print media could improve their reporting on issues associated with antibiotic resistance.

Key Words: antibiotic resistance • risk communication • public education • natural frequencies

Science Communication, Vol. 26, No. 1, 31-43 (2004)
DOI: 10.1177/1075547004267026
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