Representation of Hearing Loss and Hearing Aids in the U.S. Newspaper Media: Cross-Sectional Analysis of Secondary Data

Abstract

Purpose News media plays an important role in formulating people's knowledge and opinions about various aspects of life, including health. The current study explored how hearing loss and hearing aids are represented in the U.S. newspaper media. Method A cross-sectional study design was selected to analyze publicly available newspaper media data. The data sets were generated from the database, the U.S. Major Dailies by ProQuest, by searching key words for newspapers published during 1990–2017. Cluster analysis (i.e., text pattern analysis) and chi-square tests were performed using Iramuteq software. Results The hearing loss data set had 1,527 texts (i.e., articles). The cluster analysis resulted in 7 clusters, which were named as (1) causes and consequences (26.1%), (2) early identification and diagnosis (9%), (3) health promotion and prevention (22.1%), (4) recreational noise exposure (10.4%), (5) prevalence (14.3%), (6) research and development (12.4%), and (7) cognitive hearing science (5.6%). The hearing aids data set had 2,667 texts. The cluster analysis resulted in 8 clusters, which were named as (1) signal processing (20.2%), (2) insurance (8.9%), (3) prevalence (12.4%), (4) research and development (5.4%), (5) activities and relation (16.2%), (6) features to address background noise (13.8%), (7) innovation (12%), and (8) wireless and connectivity (11.1%). Time series analysis of clusters in both “hearing loss” and “hearing aids” data sets indicated changes in the pattern of information presented in the newspaper media during 1990–2016 (e.g., Cluster 7 focuses on cognitive hearing science in a hearing loss data set emerging only since the year 2012 and growing rapidly). Conclusions The text pattern analysis showed that the U.S. newspaper media focuses on a range of issues when considering hearing loss and hearing aids and that patterns or trends change over time. The study results can be helpful for hearing health care professionals to understand what presuppositions society in general may have as the media has the ability to influence societal perception and opinions.