Pediatrician-Authored Opinion/Editorial Articles Published in Newspapers Before and After the Start of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

BackgroundPediatricians publish opinion/editorials in newspapers as a form of advocacy. No research has characterized these publications to determine the scope of this communication. ObjectiveWe examined the characteristics of pediatrician-authored op-eds, comparing articles published in a seasonally matched six-month period before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. MethodsWe reviewed 249 pediatrician-authored op-eds (109 before COVID-19; 140 during COVID-19 pandemic) over two six-month periods accessed through America’s Newspapers database in June 2021. Each article was coded for topics covered, presumed motivations for the publication, and communication techniques used. ResultsTotal number of articles published by pediatricians was higher after the start of COVID-19 compared with a period before the pandemic. Authors commonly asked for legislative action before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, but within the COVID-19 pandemic authors more often asked for behavioral changes in the readers themselves. Personal stories were a common technique used in both time periods; shaming of government became more common during COVID-19. ConclusionsThese data provide context for additional studies examining the usefulness of op-eds in pediatrician advocacy.