International comparison of mass communications during health crisis

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24590827
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Public health/Health science
• Research Institution: National Institute of Public Health
• Principal Investigator: Sato Hajime 国立保健医療科学院, 政策技術評価研究部, 部長 (70272424)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: マスメディア / 健康リスク / 国際比較 / 日本 / 米国 / 食の安全

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Mass media can affect how people understand and react to particular health risks. Reporting of health risks during the international trade disputes, resulting from the difference in safety regulations, therefore can play a pivotal role in resolving them. This study compared the newspaper reports on BSE-related events in major national dailies among Japan, the US and South Korea around the period when BSE-infected cattle were discovered in the US and the import of US beef products was banned (between December 2002 and November 2006).
In conclusion, during the BSE-related dispute on health and trade, the visibility and faces of the issues in newspapers differed between Japan and the US. Acceptance of BSE-related risks was argued differently, and those differences reflected and affected the public's perception of BSE issues, the related safety policies by the governments, and the configuration of social interests in each country.

Free Research Field

Public Health