Epidemiological Study Designs in the Media
Nearly every day, population health studies appear in the media. The studies often include epidemiological research. The type of study design used can have a profound impact on how the study results are analyzed, interpreted, and reported. Common study designs include case control, cohort, cross-sectional, and community intervention trials
Based on media descriptions of the research, however, facts about the issue under study may appear less than obvious. Media reports may sensationalize results and overstate outcomes. Someone familiar with epidemiological methodology may note a lack of detail in mass media reports of research findings compared to articles published in peer-reviewed journals.
For this Discussion, you will compare an epidemiological study to a mass media article written about the study to examine ways epidemiologic information is disseminated to and utilized by different audiences.
Resources
Be sure to review the Learning Resources before completing this activity.
Click the weekly resources link to access the resources.
· Curley, A. L. C. (Ed.). (2024).
Population-based nursing: Concepts and competencies for advanced practice (4th ed.). Springer.
· Chapter 6, “Applying Evidence at the Population Level” (pp. 128-157)
· Chapter 7, “Using Information Technology to Improve Population Outcomes” (pp. 158-182)
· Friis, R. H., & Sellers, T. A. (2021).
Epidemiology for public health practiceLinks to an external site.(6th ed.). Jones & Bartlett.
· Appendix A, “Guide to the Critical Appraisal of an Epidemiologic/Public Health Research Article”
· American Journal of Health Behavior. (n.d.).
Writing a press releaseLinks to an external site.
.
· The James Lind Library. (n.d.).
to an external site.
· Hammes, L. S., Rossi, A. P., Pedrotti, L. G., Pitrez, P. M., Mutlaq, M. P., & Rosa, R. G. (2021).
Is the press properly presenting the epidemiological data on COVID-19? An analysis of newspapers from 25 countriesLinks to an external site..
Journal of Public Health Policy,
42(3), 359–372.
· Shah, H. M., & Chung, K. C. (2009).
Archie Cochrane and his vision for evidence-based medicineLinks to an external site..
Plastic and reconstructive surgery,
124(3), 982–988.
· Walden University Doctoral Capstone Form and Style. (n.d.).
APA style for capstone writers: Abstracts for the capstone.Links to an external site.
· Walden University Library. (n.d.).
Evaluating resources: Journals.Links to an external site.
To prepare:
· Locate a mass media article published
within the last year that describes findings of an epidemiological study. Be sure that the article is about an epidemiological study and not another area of population health.
· Then, use the Walden Library to locate the peer-reviewed research article on which the mass media report is based.
By Day 3 of Week 7
Post a response to the following:
· Briefly summarize the study you found, and then include the citations for both the mass media and the peer-reviewed articles.
· Explain what epidemiological concepts are included in the mass media article (e.g., measures of association, study design, confounders, and bias) and how they compare to those in the peer-reviewed article.
· Give your assessment of how well the mass media article represented the actual research that was conducted. Describe any obvious omissions from the mass media article that epidemiologists critiquing the study would need to know.
· Finally, imagine that a patient brings this mass media article to you and asks you for your informed opinion. Explain how you would respond or interpret the article for the patient.
By Day 6 of Week 7
Respond to
at least two colleagues on
two different days in one or more of the following ways:
· Compare your selected articles with respect to differences in study design.
· Discuss differences or similarities in the media coverage of your selected studies.
· Expand on a colleague’s posting with additional insight and resources.
· Make a suggestion or comment that guides or facilitates the discussion.
Remember to include information from the Learning Resources as appropriate.
RESPOND TO THIS DISCUSSION POST
Apr 8 5:16pm
Manage Discussion by Kristie Kassay
Reply from Kristie Kassay
Mass media articles are often designed to present information or scientific findings in a way that is accessible to a broad audience, but they may oversimplify or misinterpret the information or research complexities. Epidemiology studies typically offer a detailed explanation of the research method used, how the data was collected and analyzed, and how conclusions were drawn. Mass media reports are much shorter and tend to condense the findings. They focus attention-grabbing elements of the study, often leaving out the technical details. Key information, such as sample size or statistical significance, may be omitted to simplify the findings for a general audience. In this discussion post, I will compare a mass media article with an epidemiology study on a specific public health issue. In this discussion post, I will compare a mass media article with an epidemiology study on a specific public health issue, obesity. By comparing the mass media article to the original study, I am to highlight the differences between the presentation to the public and that to the scientific community.
Radar et al., (2024) performed a cross-sectional study to review the national trends in body mass index (BMI) and obesity in US adults (>18years) to identify changes in obesity prevalence post pandemic and introduction of weight loss medications (semaglutide). Their study showed straightforward evidence that there was a national decline in the prevalence of obesity from 2013 to 2023,
specifically in the south, among women and those aged 66 to 75. Chow and Syal published in NBC News (2024) that obesity in the US declined for the first time in over a decade, noting a decline in the south, among women, among those aged 66 to 75 and among Black Americans. Both reported a rise in obesity among Asian Americans.
In the article published by Radar et al., (2024) they spoke of many epidemiology concepts, population, age, sex, race, ethnicity, medical insurance, study limitations, bias, and prevalence by going into specific details. The media article by Chow & Syal (2024) provided a much simpler explanation of the study pointing out brief demographics, the years studied, and the percentage obesity rates dropped. The public does not necessarily need the specific details of an epidemiology study for several reasons, but it is important to note that a
simplified understanding of the study’s findings is still valuable for making informed decisions about health. Ultimately it is the job of the epidemiologists to report out the data and discuss in detail the study, while journalists job is to summarize all the key findings and report it out in easily understood language (Samad & Reed, 2025).
I found the report done by NBC News to be highly informative for the general public audience, easy to read and understand why the study was done. Chow and Syal (2024) provided direct quotes from the Rader article, and consulted an endocrinologist to gain his feedback regarding the study. The media did an excellent job of making complex scientific concepts accessible to the general public without oversimplifying the key takeaways. Additionally, the use of engaging language and relatable examples made it easy for readers to connect the research to their own lives, which is often one of the challenges when communicating epidemiology to a broader audience. I did not note any obvious omissions from the NBC News report.
First, I would thank the patient for bringing the article to my attention. It is important to validate their interest in understanding their health. I would like to let them know that it is great they are seeking more information, and ask if I could read the article. If necessary, I might ask them to highlight specific aspects of the study they are concerned about or curious about. I would next assess the credibility of the article. I would explain the findings of the study in a way that is easy for the patient to understand, without using too much medical jargon. I would highlight the most important takeaways and discuss
medical jargon. I would highlight the most important takeaways and discuss the potential impact on their health. I would then gently tell the patient that there are limitations to relying on a media article for absolutes regarding healthcare topics and studies. If I did not trust the source within the media article I would recommend the patient discuss the topic with their primary care provider and ensure that it is trustworthy, reliable information.
In conclusion, while the specific details of an epidemiology study are crucial for researchers and public health professionals, the general public typically benefits more from the broad, actionable conclusions rather than the intricate methods or statistical nuances behind the research. This helps individuals apply the findings to their daily lives without getting overwhelmed or misled by the complexities of the science. While mass media articles provide a simplified explanation of a study and its data it would not serve a strong purpose to the world of research, and healthcare providers. Offering assistance to a patient by reviewing an article that peaked their interest is not necessarily harmful as long as you are putting out a disclaimer that not all media can be a trusted truth for healthcare and if they are ever in doubt, their primary care provider is a great place to discuss topics like this.
References
Chow, D. & Syal, A. (2024, December 13).
Obesity dipped in U.S. adults last year for first time in a decade. NBCNews.com.
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Rader, B., Hazan, R., & Brownstein, J. S. (2024). Changes in adult obesity trends in the US.
JAMA Health Forum,
5(12), e243685.
Samad, L., & Reed, J. E. (2025). All are not created equal: Method descriptions in an epidemiology publication differ among media summaries – a case study comparison.
Global Epidemiology,
9, 100188.
