The print press and its politicization of public health: The case of COVID-19

This article is interested in the ways in which a serious public health issue, the COVID-19 pandemic, was used to categorize and reconfigure sections of the British citizenry into conformists and deviants. In constructing these categories, the print press was utilizing specific labels to identify those who were sceptical and noncompliant of preventative health strategies. Scepticism of Covid policy was reported along political lines, distinguishing between right-leaning conspiracy theorists who pose threats to health and safety, and those sceptics who were simply without access to accurate information and guidance. In its claims-making activity, the print media was portraying some concerns as more legitimate than other equally significant social issues. The politicization of a biological vector is not without serious implications for public health communication and, ultimately, compliance with disease preventative measures

The UK Covid Inquiry should examine the politics of fear

Opening paragraph:Recently, the UK Covid Inquiry heard testimony that the BBC consistently misrepresented Covid risk in order to boost public support for lockdown. Yet, to date, the Inquiry has not asked vital questions about the practices of the British media during the crisis and breaches in journalist standards and ethics. The political lens of the media during Covid demands more public scrutiny

Ageing prolongs inflammatory marker expression in regenerating rat skeletal muscles after injury

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Some of the most serious consequences of normal ageing relate to its effects on skeletal muscle, particularly significant wasting and associated weakness, termed "sarcopenia". The underlying mechanisms of sarcopenia have yet to be elucidated completely but an altered muscle inflammatory response after injury is a likely contributing factor. In this study we investigated age-related changes in the expression of numerous inflammatory markers linked to successful muscle regeneration.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Right extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles from young (3 month), adult (12 month) and old (24 month) male F344 rats were injected with bupivacaine hydrochloride to cause complete muscle fibre degeneration, then excised 12, 24, 36, and 72 hours later (n = 5/age group/time point). We used qRT-PCR to quantify the mRNA expression levels of the inflammatory markers TNFα, IFNγ, IL1, IL18, IL6, and CD18 as well as regenerative markers MyoD and myogenin.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Inflammatory markers were all increased significantly in all age groups after myotoxic injury. There was a trend for expression of inflammatory markers to be higher in uninjured muscles of old rats, especially at 72 hours post injury where the expression levels of several markers was significantly higher in old compared with young and adult rats. There was also a decrease in the expression of regenerative markers in old rats at 72 hours post injury.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our findings identify a prolonged inflammatory signature in injured muscles from old compared with young and adult rats together with a blunted expression of key markers of regeneration in muscles of old rats. Importantly, our findings identify potential targets for future therapeutic strategies for improving the regenerative capacity of skeletal muscle during ageing.</p

Legal narratives as significant news sources about mental illness and violent crime

Media coverage about people affected by mental illness is an area of research that is extensively examined. Many scholars argue that the media depicts people with mental illness as inherently violent and dangerous within sensational narratives. These depictions are criticized for reinforcing the social stigma and disadvantages many of the mentally ill face. The media does, however, require news sources and, in the context of crime and mental illness, the courts are a significant source. Through qualitative content analysis of Australian newspaper articles, this research examines an under-researched and incompletely theorized area. In doing so, it demonstrates that media depictions of some mentally ill offenders reflect and heavily draw upon legal narratives and what is argued in court about these offenders in the context of criminal responsibility and legal insanity

Homeland and its use of bipolar disorder for sensationalist and dramatic effect

When a lead character in a critically acclaimed and award-winning television programme is depicted as a proficient and meticulous heroine with a mental disorder, it is crucial to examine if this reflects a change in the media depiction of people with mental illness. This article employs framing analysis to examine the portrayal of lead CIA agent with bipolar disorder, Carrie Mathison, in Homeland. Although the show did initially associate competence, intellect and astuteness to this character, as it progressed, the framing decisions used for dramatic and sensational purposes ultimately presented Mathison within the usual stereotypical depictions: as impulsive, irrational, unpredictable, unstable, dangerous and disordered. Given the popularity of the show, responsible depictions should take priority over dramatic effect at the expense of a character with mental illness because sufferers may be deterred in speaking about their illness and seeking appropriate treatment if such negative themes persist

Supplemental Material - The print press and its politicization of public health: The case of COVID-19

Supplemental Material for Supplemental Material - The print press and its politicization of public health: The case of Covid-19 by Meron Wondemaghen in Journalism</p