Assessing the Coverage of Health Issues in Ghana - A Study of Daily Graphic and Facebook

Abstract

One of the basic functions of media is to spread information and create awareness among people regarding health-related issues so that they can decide what is good and what is bad for them. Health based articles, features, news, provide information to the audience regarding pre and post care of patients during a particular disease. These days’ newspapers and TV channels are full of contents on different diseases suggesting different precautions and treatments available. Since the journalists who write health stories are not expert in the area, there is every possibility of wrong information reaching to the consumers. On several occasions it was found that the information provided by journalists through their columns, features, news were not reliable and accurate. Now the question arises that who should write articles, features etc. on health and health related issues so that accurate information is provided to the audience. It is well known that the mass media is important Social institution in any modern society for the communication purpose. The public learns much about health and health policy from the news media like print, electronic and new media. The mass media can shape the public’s opinions about health related issues by emphasizing certain features in their coverage, such as the causes of problems, availability of the treatment, pre and post disease care and precaution. This research is an attempt to highlight the issues covered by newspaper; Daily Graphic and Facebook and accuracy of the content provided to the audience.