Journalistic framing of medical errors in newspaper coverage, 2010–2019
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to identify the journalistic frames used in print media’s coverage of medical errors. Print news articles about medical errors published in U.S.-based newspapers between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2019, were coded for frame type and journalistic frame dimensions. One thousand two hundred journalistic frame dimensions were identified. Articles were primarily episodic, and the most popular journalistic frame dimensions were reporting about hospital policies, malpractice cases, and legislation and government initiatives to address medical errors. News coverage primarily frames medical errors as an individual provider issue and rarely presents the common systems-based approach used in healthcare.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Risk Perception and Management
Climate Change Communication and Perception
Pharmacovigilance and Adverse Drug Reactions
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Communication Research Reports
- Volume
- 43
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 77–89
- Publication date
- 3 January 2026
- Language
- EN