Media and evidence-informed policy development: the case of mental health in Australia

Abstract

This article draws together theory from political science, media, and science and technology studies to examine the past, present and possible future roles of ‘media’ in influencing evidence-informed policy-making in mental health in Australia. The authors develop a nuanced understanding of the role that media framing, focussing events and participation have played in the evolution of mental health policy. Media are shown to influence evidence utilisation in policy development in complex ways. The authors consider how the global circulation of ideas that media enable affects policy issues within national jurisdictions. Their findings are relevant to policy issues in areas where media are deliberately used both to achieve individual behaviour change and influence policy.

Keywords:

• mental health policy
• evidence-based policy
• evidence-informed policy
• mediatisation
• political communication
• science communication

Acknowledgements

The views expressed in this publication are solely those of the authors and do not reflect the views of the NHMRC. The authors thank Sarah Yeates for her editorial assistance.

Notes on contributors

Carla Meurk holds a Ph.D. in anthropology and is postdoctoral research fellow and co-lead of the Policy Analysis and Research Translation group at the Queensland Centre of Mental Health Research.

Harvey Whiteford, MBBS, MPH, Ph.D., FRANZCP, is Professor of Population Mental Health, a practicing Psychiatrist, and leads the Policy and Epidemiology group at the Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research.

Brian Head holds a Ph.D. in political science. He is Professor of Public Policy, Policy Studies leader at the Institute for Social Science Research and a Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences.

Wayne Hall holds a Ph.D. in psychology. He is Professor of Addiction History and Public Health Policy, a member of the Order of Australia (AM), Director and Inaugural chair of the Centre for Youth Substance Abuse Research, and a Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences and of the Academy of Health and Medical Sciences in Australia.

Nicholas Carah holds a Ph.D. in media and communication and is a lecturer in the School of Communication and Arts.

Additional information

Funding

This work was funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council [NHMRC Grant No. APP1041131].