The association between exaggeration in health related science news and academic press releases: retrospective observational study.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To identify the source (press releases or news) of distortions, exaggerations, or changes to the main conclusions drawn from research that could potentially influence a reader's health related behaviour.

Design

Retrospective quantitative content analysis.

Setting

Journal articles, press releases, and related news, with accompanying simulations.

Sample

Press releases (n = 462) on biomedical and health related science issued by 20 leading UK universities in 2011, alongside their associated peer reviewed research papers and news stories (n = 668).

Main outcome measures

Advice to readers to change behaviour, causal statements drawn from correlational research, and inference to humans from animal research that went beyond those in the associated pee

SUBMITTER: Sumner P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4262123 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature