Media Framing of Public Health Crises

Media framing of public health crises encompasses the ways in which news outlets select, emphasise and organise information about disease outbreaks, vaccination campaigns and other health emergencies. Frames shape public risk perception, adherence to guidelines and broader social responses by highlighting particular themes—such as threat, responsibility, human interest or scientific uncertainty—while downplaying others. During fast-moving crises, the tension between urgency and accuracy may lead to reliance on emotive or political angles rather than clear explanations of scientific processes and evidence. Framing choices influence trust in public health authorities, the uptake of preventive behaviours and the potential for stigma or blame. Global comparative studies have shown that variations in political orientation, media culture and editorial norms result in divergent narratives: some outlets foreground collective solidarity and actionable guidance, whereas others emphasise conflict, fear or economic disruption. Understanding these patterns is essential for designing communication strategies that foster self-efficacy, minimise misinformation and support the rapid containment of health threats.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have applied epistemic network analysis to discourses in UK newspapers during the Omicron wave of COVID-19. This work reveals how different titles connect aspects of the nature of science—such as methods, values and institutional roles—with political and professional contexts. Left-leaning and centrist outlets more consistently integrate explanations of scientific practices, whereas other outlets show sporadic treatment of epistemic dimensions. Inconsistencies in framing the nature of scientific work are linked to lower public trust in health guidance and reduced clarity in the rationale behind policy decisions.

Media Framing of Public Health Crises publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in media framing of public health crises across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Framing: selection and emphasis of particular aspects of an issue to influence interpretation and response.

Epistemic network analysis: quantitative method mapping co-occurrence of conceptual categories in discourse to reveal narrative structures.

Health belief model constructs: theoretical elements (perceived benefits, barriers) used to predict and guide health behaviours.

Self-efficacy: individual’s belief in their capacity to execute behaviours required to manage health risks.

Action frame: media narrative that provides explicit behavioural guidance during a health crisis.

References

1. Communicating science in the COVID-19 news in the UK during Omicron waves: exploring representations of nature of science with epistemic network analysis. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications (2023).
2. Assessing the Dissemination of Federal Risk Communication by News Media Outlets During Enteric Illness Outbreaks: Canadian Content Analysis. JMIR Public Health and Surveillance (2025).
3. Communicating health crisis: a content analysis of global media framing of COVID-19. Health Promotion Perspectives (2020).
4. Immunity debt or vaccination crisis? A multi-method evidence on vaccine acceptance and media framing for emerging COVID-19 variants. Vaccine (2022).