[Comparison of the literature on medical accidents from a medical database and articles in daily newspapers in Japan].
OBJECTIVE
We analyzed the frequency and content of journal reports on medical accidents over the past 15 years, and compared these findings with related articles in daily newspapers as a means of assessing medical professionals' awareness of current public opinion reflected in daily newspaper coverage.


METHODS
A search of medical accident reports was conducted using CD-ROM versions of the medical literature database Japana Centra Revuo Medicina (1987-2001), with the key words "medical accident" and "medical error." The numbers of medical accident articles in newspapers and medical lawsuits were taken as indicators of public opinion. Relationships were investigated using correlation and time series analyses.


RESULTS
1) The total number of reports on medical accidents (including medical errors; hereinafter, medical accident reports) in the database was 2,858, equaling 0.78 medical accident reports for each 1,000 reports in the CD-ROM database. 2) The number of medical accident reports was 174 in 1987, gradually increasing to 333 in 2000 and 618 in 2001. 3) The proportion of the reports from the nursing field increased from 8.9% (1989) to 31.7% (1999). In contrast, the proportion concerning the medical field decreased from 68.8% to 50.2%. 4) The number of medical accident articles in two newspapers was investigated. The yearly trends were similar in both of these newspapers, showing an increase in 1999 and a peak in 2000. 5) A review of Supreme Court records revealed that the number of medical lawsuits each year increased gradually from 352 in 1990 to 805 in 2001. 6) There were significant correlations between the number of medical accident reports and the numbers of newspaper articles or medical lawsuits. A time series analysis of these trends showed that the trend in number of medical accident reports was closely linked with those for numbers of newspaper articles and medical lawsuits, with a time lag.


CONCLUSIONS
Research trends in papers on medical accidents from a database of scientific papers were found to correspond with trend curves for medical lawsuits and articles on medical accidents in daily newspapers. It was thus demonstrated that awareness of medical accidents among medical professionals reflects social emphasis.
School of Nursing, Nagoya City University.
Nakako
N
Fujiwara
Hiromi
H
Ogasawara
Hatsuko
H
Suzumura
Makoto
M
Miyaji
D016208:Databases, Factual / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007564:Japan; D008318:Malpractice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019300:Medical Errors; D009524:Newspapers as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011639:Public Opinion