How typical news narratives undermine the public’s health
Date: October 25, 2018
Research shows that in the U.S. most people think that individuals are masters of their own destiny. These values extend to people’s perceptions about health: Their gut-level assumption — the default frame — is that individuals can control their own health outcomes if they make the right choices. The problem with the default frame is that it hides the influence of the places where people live, work, learn, and play. To understand health, especially at the population level, the conditions surrounding individuals need to be part of the story.
In this public lecture at the University of Washington, BMSG Director Lori Dorfman discussed how public health struggles with — and sometimes wins — this framing battle across different public health issues, from tobacco to soda to violence.