Critical Appraisal of Contemporary Issue Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Critical Appraisal of Contemporary Issue - Essay Example lst public understanding on health issues cannot solely be attributed to media reporting, it is widely recognized that media has a high impact on people’s beliefs on health related behaviors. Therefore, timely and accurate translation of scientific information is important to avoid publishing information that will to some extent be misleading compared to actual findings of the research study (Kovacs 2011, 34). It is media’s responsibility to observe ethics and professional behavior in analyzing contemporary issues on health. Mass media is an integration of different mass communication channels that will transmit information both electronically and mechanically to the intended user. It will play a central role in linking health workers to the members of public both locally and internationally. Health authorities will educate and entrust the media with essential information that is transformed into readily accessible formats and transferred through a variety of media channels. Mass media is important because it is effective in widening the audience that will be communicated with recent health information (King and Watson 2005, 25). Likewise, communication of scientific information through media will be in simple formats thus easily interpreted. It will seem less official or dictatorial and chances of getting positive feedback from the society are much higher compared to other methods. Media will also be important in relaying preventive measures of a health issue that has or is about to affect the people t hereby cutting the costs of reactive measures (Guthrie J 2003, 50). An example is when health authorities communicate through media the importance of vaccination or warn the public of a looming epidemic disease. However, despite continuous participation of health authorities in mass media reporting, information may not be authentic from every angle if it is intended to influence the mind set of people on a particular phenomenon (Howit 1982, 56). This conflict of