Content analysis of Australian newspaper portrayals of emergency medicine.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate portrayals of emergency medicine (EM) in Australian newspapers.


METHODS
Systematic content analysis of articles about the ED in four major Australian newspapers.


RESULTS
From July 2003 to June 2004 176 articles about the ED were published. Articles about ED overload were dominant (37.9% of all subjects identified). Articles about solutions to ED problems (16%) and errors (12.7%) were also prominent. Emergency physicians (EP) provided 13.5% of all of the commentary in the articles. Health administrators, spokespersons and politicians collectively constituted 44.3% of voices. The Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM) provided little commentary (4%). Overall 18% of articles portrayed EM in a positive light, 37% neutral and 45% negative. The ratio of negative to positive articles was 2.5:1. Page-one stories were mostly concerned with ED overload and errors and were predominantly negative. Positive articles (18%) most commonly covered solutions to problems, 'Life in the Emergency Department' or descriptions of staff involvement with interesting diseases.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a significant media focus on ED problems and errors. The majority of comment comes from politicians and bureaucrats not EP or the ACEM and, overall, the articles examined portrayed EM in a negative light. EP and the ACEM should evaluate ways to improve the interface between the specialty and the media.
Kennedy
John F
JF
Emergency Department, Tamworth Base Hospital, Tamworth, New South Wales, Australia. john.kennedy@hnehealth.nsw.gov.au
Trethewy
Christopher
C
Anderson
Kevin
K