Abstract:

One of the sources for health information in thecommunity is the written press. The daily newspapers, one of the tools of masscommunication media, are the most important sourcefor informing the public about health subject. The purpose of this research, which was plannedfor obtaining the foremost information on the subjectof news about breast cancer in newspapers, was toestablish the topics and sources for news aboutbreast cancer, to evaluate the content of news from ascientific viewpoint, and to examine the benefits forthe public. Newspapers that had the highest net sales andwere available online in 2004 and had news aboutbreast health were included in the research. At the conclusion of the research 166 news itemswere examined, 43.4% were in the newspaper’shealth corner, 32.5% of the news articles aboutbreast health in the newspapers were written bycorrespondents or agents, 30.7% were fromspecialist physicians, 47.6% of the news aboutbreast health was appropriate information, and79.5% had the quality of informing the public.The results of the research were that sufficientspace had not been devoted to breast health in themass communication print media, and that very littlenews was reported by health care personnel.

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