Coverage of Older Adults and HIV/AIDS: Risk Information for an Invisible Population

Abstract

The goal of this study was to determine how HIV and AIDS risk was framed in newspaper coverage of older adults. A content analysis was performed on articles published from 1989 to 2005 in urban newspapers. The findings were then compared with relevant information on the actual risks facing older adults. The results indicate a discrepancy in coverage between articles, including sources in the affected group. Articles omitting the affected sources inaccurately framed risk, emphasizing salacious topics rather than more important concerns. These findings suggest available risk information regarding HIV and AIDS and older adults distorts risk information for a population already underserved by health educators, which could contribute to rising infection rates.

Keywords:

• Frame Analysis
• HIV and AIDS
• Older Adults

Notes

Note. Asterisks indicate significant differences in framing device occurrence by source age category as determined by chi-square tests.

*p < .05. **p < .01. ***p < .001.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Katherine Hart LaVail

Katherine Hart LaVail (M.A., University of Iowa, 2007) is a doctoral student in the Department of Communication at the State University of New York at Buffalo.