Reporting on health and medical topics is of great interest to societies that place a high value on health and well-being. Health journalism is also of interest to public health advocates and those creating strategic health messages. This is because the information presented to the public via journalists is often viewed as more credible than strategically placed messages. News accounts of health and medical issues can serve as an impetus for interpersonal communication about the topic of interest, which can help amplify the effects of health campaigns and increase the likelihood of behavior change. This entry describes the scope of health journalism, tenets of and challenges to the practice of health journalism, and the impact of health journalism on the public.

Most major news outlets, ...

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