Media Representations of Allergy and Asthma Issues, Policy and Research: Views from the AllerGen Research Community

Abstract

RATIONALE: Concerns have been raised by the academic community regarding the accuracy and quality of media representations and their potential to impact funding priorities, policy development, research direction and public perceptions. Through the administration of a survey, our team examined such issues through the lens of allergy and asthma research.METHODS: Conference delegates that attended the Fifth Annual Research Conference of the Canadian NCE AllerGen were invited to take part in survey exploring their respective views regarding media representations of allergy and asthma issues, policy and research and the impact such representations have on policy development, funding decisions and public opinion.RESULTS: Respondents expressed strong to moderate concern regarding the accuracy and quality of evidence used in media representations of allergy and asthma issues, policy and research. They also perceived that such representations impacted policy development, funding decisions, and shaped public understanding and public opinion. In addition, the majority of participants indicated that media representations had either made them think about their work in a different way, or had been considered when making decisions about what project(s) to pursue.CONCLUSIONS: These findings fit well within the current literature and provide the basis for additional work within this and other discrete scientific communities. Specifically, given the debate that exists regarding the accuracy of media reports, a more comprehensive analysis exploring perceived sources of inaccuracy and quality of media representations would be instructive. RATIONALE: Concerns have been raised by the academic community regarding the accuracy and quality of media representations and their potential to impact funding priorities, policy development, research direction and public perceptions. Through the administration of a survey, our team examined such issues through the lens of allergy and asthma research. METHODS: Conference delegates that attended the Fifth Annual Research Conference of the Canadian NCE AllerGen were invited to take part in survey exploring their respective views regarding media representations of allergy and asthma issues, policy and research and the impact such representations have on policy development, funding decisions and public opinion. RESULTS: Respondents expressed strong to moderate concern regarding the accuracy and quality of evidence used in media representations of allergy and asthma issues, policy and research. They also perceived that such representations impacted policy development, funding decisions, and shaped public understanding and public opinion. In addition, the majority of participants indicated that media representations had either made them think about their work in a different way, or had been considered when making decisions about what project(s) to pursue. CONCLUSIONS: These findings fit well within the current literature and provide the basis for additional work within this and other discrete scientific communities. Specifically, given the debate that exists regarding the accuracy of media reports, a more comprehensive analysis exploring perceived sources of inaccuracy and quality of media representations would be instructive.