Reporting health in Europe: Situation and needs

Despite the fact that journalists recognize the need for specialized training on health issues, there is lack of such training. In November 2010, the 2-year European project ‘Health Reporting Training-HeaRT’ was launched, aiming to develop vocational training on health reporting for journalists. In this study, we present the results of the original survey conducted in the framework of the HearT project, with the participation of seven EU partner countries, aiming to assess journalists’ education, experience, skills, perceptions, barriers, and needs concerning health reporting across Europe. Only a small proportion of journalists have received specialized training in the past. Those that have received such training, consider it more necessary than their counterparts. Journalists believe they need more training to acquire specific skills related to evaluating conflicts of interest, interpreting medical research reports, and understanding statistics, so as to analyze specific health topics, such as medical research and science, health policy, and business/economics of health care. In view of the risks associated with false health reporting, and the lack of related training, this study could provide useful information towards developing educational programs in journalism schools and educational centers across Europe and beyond. © W. S. Maney & Son Ltd 2014.