Effects of news on future treatments

There is increasing communication in the media about future treatments for chronic diseases. Patients for whom current treatments are not effective enough are also exposed to this. What effect does this have on them?

The research has two main objectives:

To gain scientific insight into how the mood and behavior of chronically ill patients depend on news reports about treatments.
To create practical guidelines for communicating new treatments to groups of chronically ill patients.

Hans' research shows that the characteristics of news about diabetes innovations influence the feelings, attitudes, and health-related intentions of people with diabetes. However, many news reports do not use reliable sources or clinical evidence, which can lead to misleading or overly positive impressions, especially in reports about nutrition or early developments. The findings highlight the importance of transparent and careful communication in health news, such as avoiding sensational language and clearly indicating the level of evidence and uncertainties. Future research should focus on vulnerable patient groups and their media exposure to better tailor health communication to their needs.

01 November 2015 - 16 January 2024

We looked at the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of media reports about future treatments. We focussed on Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Parkinson's Disease because there is a lot of communication about these diseases and the target group is relatively accessible and articulate.

We examined (news) reports in newspapers, forums, and magazines and investigated the following questions:

What trends are visible in terms of numbers, sources, and journalistic genres?
At what stage of research are the discussed therapies?
To what extent is there exaggeration in these reports?
Which reports lead to rapid dissemination of information, or rumors?
What characteristics of reports lead to effects on the patient's knowledge, emotion, and behavior?