Is Public Communication about End-of-Life Care Helping to Inform All?: Cancer News Coverage in African American vs. Mainstream Media

摘要

BackgroundBecause cancers are a leading cause of death, these diseases receive a great deal of news attention. However, because news media frequently target specific racial or ethnic audiences, some populations may receive different information, and it is unknown whether reporting equally informs all about options for care at the end of life. This study of US news reporting compares “mainstream” (general market) media to African American media, which serves the largest minority group. The specific goal of this study was to determine whether these news media communicate differently about cure-directed cancer treatment and end-of-life alternatives.