Debunking news stories: How Hitting the Headlines works

Today’s Session

• What is Hitting the Headlines?• How are newspaper stories selected?• How is the research behind the headlines identified?• How is the research critically appraised?• What does a Hitting the Headlines story look like?• What are the implications?

What is Hitting the Headlines?

• unbiased, brief and readable summaries• appraising the research evidence on which

news reports are based• comment on accuracy of news report

• aimed at health professionals

• ‘live’ within 48 hours of newspaper story

• Commissioned by the National Library for Health

(NLH)

How do we select headlines to ‘hit’?

• news story in national daily newspaper(s)• based on research evidence • priority given to ‘big’ stories

• effects of a health care or health related intervention that is or could be provided or recommended by the NHS• drug treatment• surgical intervention• diagnostic procedure or tool• health promotion or prevention programme

What we don’t do….

Surgeons rebuilt my tongue – from my arm

Risk of

brain

damage

from

mobile

phone use

21 days to get a beautiful backCountdown for a rear view to rival Geri’s

Music helped me forget Tourette’s

What we do….

What we do…

How is the Research Identified?

Drug hope for Parkinson’s • The Sun, 13 August 2004

• ‘….new research at Birmingham University….’

• The Times, 13 August 2004• ‘Research published in the British Medical Journal..’

• Journal Publication• Ives NJ, Stowe RL, Marro J, et al. Monoamine oxidase type B

inhibitors in early Parkinson's disease: meta-analysis of 17 randomised trials involving 3525 patients. BMJ, advance publication (published 13 August 2004).

How is the Research Identified?

WE SAID: RED WINE CAN STOP DEAFNESS /‘Hears to Red Wine’ • 4 newspapers;

• 1 stated ‘researchers found that..’• 2 stated the source to be the New Scientist• 1 stated that the research had been presented at a London

Conference• Obtained New Scientist article • Reference to ‘an ear conference at the University College London’• Conference abstract not published contacted conference organisers• Used information on researcher and location to identify press release• Press release referred to article in the NEJM on aspirin helping to

combat hearing loss associated with specific antibiotic

How is the Research Identified?

Pill to make you clever • 6 newspapers;

• 5 mentioned Professor Basant Puri who stated ‘it was astonishing’• 1 mentioned Professor Kishore Bhakoo• 3 mentioned Imperial College London• 1 mentioned St Georges Hospital• 5 mentioned that the supplement is called VegEPA• 2 mentioned forthcoming TV documentary ‘Mind the Fat: Does fast

food equal slow kids• 1 Food Standards Agency

• Internet Search• Contacted Professors• Researched not published yet• Contacted manufacturers of VegEPA to obtain press release

Commentary on the newspaper article

• Does the newspaper article accurately summarise the findings of the original research?

• Does it accurately reflect the possibility of patients having access to the treatment?

• Is the article likely to give rise to unfounded levels of anxiety or expectation?

The nature of news

“Newspapers are not mere repositories of information. They are organs grappling for readers attention against burning toast, mewling infants, windy station platforms and crowded bars.”

Critical appraisal of the research

• Where does the evidence come from?• What were the authors' objectives?• What was the nature of the evidence?• What interventions were examined in the research?• What were the findings?• What were the authors’ conclusions?• How reliable are the authors’ conclusions?

Format of Hitting the Headlines story

• Headline• Quote or neutral

• First paragraph• Subject, accuracy of newspaper story and

quality of research

Format of Hitting the Headlines story

• Bullet points• newspaper• research• relation between the two

• Evaluation of the evidence base

How does this study relate to the existing body of evidence ?

• Systematic reviews • References and resources• Consumer links• Previous Hitting the Headlines

summaries

What are the implications?

• How might this affect patients?• How might this affect practice?• How might this affect policy?

• How does this relate to the existing body of evidence?

Useful Links

• Hitting the Headlines• http://www.library.nhs.uk/

• Email alert service• http://www.library.nhs.uk/hth/email

• Further information• http://www.library.nhs.uk/hth/crd

Help and Advice

• CRD Enquiry Service• http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/crd/crdenquiry.htm• tel: 01904 321846 • email: crd-info@york.ac.uk