Malaysian newspapers’ coverage of anti-vaxxers: implication on vaccine intakes

Iskandar, Iylia Marsya and Mohamed, Shafizan (2023) Malaysian newspapers’ coverage of anti-vaxxers: implication on vaccine intakes. Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences, 19 (2). pp. 124-129. ISSN 1675-8544 E-ISSN 2636-9346

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Abstract

Introduction: The World Health Organization (WHO) named anti-vaxxers as one of the top ten public health hazards in 2019. Anti-vaxxers are a health danger since they are mostly responsible for the re-emergence of deadly contagious diseases such as measles, which has increased in recent years. The media such as newspapers, are responsible for disseminating messages and public knowledge about health issues, particularly health hazards. To particularly combat anti-vaccine views online, newspaper must provide critical information, such as scientific and verifiable facts. Newspapers need to also take a clear stand against anti-vaccine sentiments. Method: A quantitative content analysis was conducted on four newspapers (Harian Metro, Berita Harian, New Straits Times, and The Star) over a three-year period beginning 1 January 2019 and ending 30 September 2021. The 43-month period offered adequate data for analysing reporting trends. Result: The findings suggested that newspapers do significantly report about the antivaxxers with 247 news were focused on them. Conclusion: However, the newspapers tend to only publish generic information about the antivaxxers and rarely make compelling arguments against them.

Item Type:	Article (Journal)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Newspaper, Anti-vaxxers, Health communication, Social media, Vaccine hesitancy
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General) > H61.8 Communication of information R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA643 Communicable Diseases and Public Health R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA644.C67 Coronavirus infections. COVID-19 (Disease). COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020
Kulliyyahs/Centres/Divisions/Institutes (Can select more than one option. Press CONTROL button):	Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences > Department of Communication
Depositing User:	Dr Shafizan Mohamed
Date Deposited:	06 Apr 2023 10:20
Last Modified:	08 May 2023 13:25
URI:	http://irep.iium.edu.my/id/eprint/104301

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