A Qualitative Study of How Women Make Meaning of Contradictory Media Messages About the Risks of Eating Fish

Abstract

This study employed qualitative, in-depth focus groups with women to determine their perceptions of contradictory information portrayed in media about fish consumption safety. The women's perceptions were understood in terms of how much they recognized eating fish to be a problem, how personally relevant the problem of eating fish was for them, and whether they perceived barriers to eating fish safely. Findings from this study indicate possible factors that influence information-seeking behavior when women are confronted with contradictory health information in the media.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

This study was funded by the Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, College Park, Maryland. Appreciation goes to Dr. David Lineback, former Director of JIFSAN, and Dr. Marjorie Davidson, of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, for their guidance and advice.