Newspaper Coverage (2000-2009) of the Disparity In Black and White Infant Mortality Rates

Theoretical Background and research questions/hypothesis:  The infant mortality rate for Black Americans in 2006 was 13.4 and for White Americans the rate was 5.6. The more than twofold disparity in infant mortality rates between Whites and Blacks remained constant during the period from 2000 to 2006. Based upon current data it appears unlikely that the Healthy People 2010 initiative target goals for reducing overall infant mortality and eliminating the disparity in infant mortality rates between Blacks and Whites will be achieved. Public awareness of the disparity in infant mortality rates between Whites and Blacks is a key element in the mobilization and coordination of various community sectors to effectively address this health issue. Studies indicate that relative to other minority health disparities such as cancer and HIV/AIDS, the level of newspaper coverage on disparities in infant mortality was lower. The current study posed three questions about coverage of the disparity in infant mortality between Whites and Blacks in general-audience newspapers in the period from 2000 to 2009: 1) What is the level and type of newspaper articles on the racial disparity in infant mortality? 2) What type of information on the racial disparity in infant mortality is mentioned in newspaper articles? 3) What individual sources of information on the racial disparity in infant mortality are mentioned in newspaper articles?

Methods: The LexisNexis database was searched for all articles which mentioned the infant mortality disparity between Blacks and Whites in 221 newspapers from 2000 to 2009. Articles were coded for type (infant mortality as primary topic or secondary topic mixed with other topics), disparity-related topics (mention of conferences, funding, services, press releases, and reports on infant mortality and risk factors), and sources of information about infant mortality.

Results: In the ten years from 2000-2009, 183 Black-White disparity in infant mortality articles were published, representing 9.14% of all articles on minority health disparities. Statistical or research reports and prenatal, maternal, and infant health program services were the most frequently mentioned topics in the disparity articles. Individual level risk factors such as maternal smoking were mentioned most frequently and physician level factors were least mentioned in the articles. Health department officials and health program professionals were mentioned most frequently in the articles as sources of information on infant mortality.

Conclusions: The volume of newspaper coverage of the Black-White disparity in infant mortality is small and inadequate to, along with other media and health promotion efforts, to inform and mobilize the public.

Implications for research and/or practice: Although newspapers are an important resource for increasing public awareness of health issues and disparities few articles have been published on the racial disparity in infant mortality in the years covered by the Healthy People 2010 initiative. Public awareness is an important element of community mobilization to address this health disparity. Health department and health care professionals need to collaborate more with print journalists to disseminate more comprehensive and higher levels of information on infant mortality to the public to aid or promote community efforts to reduce this disparity.