More health news needed online, report says
Monday, 24, Nov 2008 11:27
Web users want to see more online news relating to the health sector, it has been suggested.
A new study by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Pew Research Centre's Project for Excellence in Journalism found that while healthcare is one of the main concerns among the public in the present day, just 3.6 per cent of all online news posted between January 2007 and June 2008 related to health.
The research also showed that 42 per cent of all online news content related to specific conditions and diseases, while 31 per cent concentrated on public health and 27 per cent looked at health policy.
"As the public's news consumption shifts more toward online and cable outlets, people are likely to come across fewer stories about health and particularly about health policy," commented Victoria Rideout of the Kaiser Family Foundation.
UK traffic to health websites rose by ten per cent in September this year compared with the previous month, according to recent research by comScore.