Healthcare research and development (R&D) as reflected in digital news: Analysis from Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.23962/ajic.i34.20161Keywords:
research and development (R&D), news media, media monitoring, big data, free and open-source software, healthcareAbstract
This study used a new open-source repository of African news media to study coverage of healthcare research and development (R&D) in the news ecosystems of Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa. A corpus of more than 5 million potentially relevant news articles was filtered through refined queries, ultimately yielding 2,917 highly topically relevant articles from 377 publications. These were analysed using both computational natural language processing (NLP) and manual qualitative analysis. The study revealed the following: the types of healthcare developments that were making news in each of the three countries (e.g., new medical technologies, activities of high-profile individuals in the health space, and health sector-building events); the diseases and conditions being prioritised (e.g., HIV/AIDS and mental health); the key stakeholders in the sector (e.g., government officials and funding organisations); and the media narratives around the impact of healthcare R&D (including emphasis on digital health). The study illustrates the value of using large news datasets to gain a deeper understanding of developments and discourse around rapidly evolving topics of high social importance, such as healthcare.
References
Adeniran, R., & Adenle, G. O. (2012). Science news reportage in selected Nigerian newspapers. Journal of Communication and Media Research, 4(1), 169–176.
Adeniran, R., & Oso, L. (2020). Making health news: Examining how health influencers drive coverage of maternal and child healthcare issues in Nigerian newspapers. Communication & Society, 33(4), 47–60 https://doi.org/10.15581/003.33.4.47-60
Alibi, M. (2023, June 19). Healthcare development: Bill Gates to visit Nigeria days after Tinubu announces adviser on health. Premium Times. https://www.premiumtimesng.com/health/health-news/605088-healthcare-development-bill-gates-to-visit-nigeria-days-after-tinubu-announces-adviser-on-health.html?tztc=1
Anyanwu, C., Okpevra, U. B., & Aghogho, L. I. (2022). Nigerian newspaper headlines on Covid-19: a reflection of government and citizens’ perception and attitude. Cogent Arts & Humanities, 9(1), 1-12.
Appiah, B., Gastel, B., Burdine, J. N., & Russell, L. H. (2012). The future of science journalism in Ghana: Evidence-based perspectives. Journal of Science Communication, 11(1), C04. https://doi.org/10.22323/2.11010304
Apuke, O. D., & Omar, B. (2020). How do Nigerian newspapers report COVID-19 pandemic? The implication for awareness and prevention. Health Education Research, 35(5), 471–480. https://doi.org/10.1093/her/cyaa031
Asaolu, A., Ifijeh, G., Iwu-James, J., & Odaro, O. (2016). Newspaper coverage of Ebola virus disease epidemic in Nigeria: Implications for prevention and control. The International Journal of Communication and Health, 10, 53–58. http://eprints.gouni.edu.ng/3979/
Asemah, E. S. (2015). A content analysis of newspaper coverage of health issues in Nigeria. Lapai Journal of Literature, Language and Communication Studies, 2(2), 73–93.
Asogwa, C. E. (2021). Nigerian media coverage of medical progress on the development of COVID-19 vaccine. Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics, 17(8), 2421–2426. https://doi.org/10.1080/21645515.2021.1882282
Bahri, P., Fogd, J., Morales, D., & Kurz, X. (2017). Application of real-time global media monitoring and “derived questions” for enhancing communication by regulatory bodies: The case of human papillomavirus vaccines. BMC Medicine, 15(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-017-0850-4
Bang Showbiz. (2022, September 26). Megan Thee Stallion launches website with mental health resources. IOL. https://www.iol.co.za/lifestyle/health/mind/megan-thee-stallion-launches-website-with-mental-health-resources-2f94c100-c600-4f34-aa4d-0b8930b3a6ec
Barros, J. M., Duggan, J., & Rebholz-Schuhmann, D. (2020). The application of internet-based sources for public health surveillance (Infoveillance): Systematic review. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 22(3), e13680. https://doi.org/10.2196/13680
Brandstories. (2023, April 20). Cutting-edge Biomedical Research Institute a ‘game changer’ for healthcare in Africa. IOL. https://www.iol.co.za/news/partnered/cutting-edge-biomedical-research-institute-a-game-changer-for-healthcare-in-africa-1b3a8193-f42b-41f4-be5d-aa55f7d5ac52
Business Times. (2023, April 25). Aga Khan University launches undergraduate programmes in medicine and nursing. https://businesstimes.co.ke/aga-khan-university-launches-undergraduate-programmes-in-medicine-and-nursing/
Capital News. (2023, June 17). Bill Gates to visit Niger and Nigeria to meet with leaders and partners tackling health and development challenges. https://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2023/06/bill-gates-to-visit-niger-and-nigeria-to-meet-with-leaders-and-partners-tackling-health-and-development-challenges
Chinedu-Okeke, C. F., Agbasimelo, C. I., Obi, I., & Onyejelem, T. E. (2021). Newspaper coverage of COVID-19 issues in Nigeria. Journal of Healthcare Communications, 6(5), 20–24.
Department of Science and Technology (DST). (2018). Science Engagement Strategy Implementation Plan. Republic of South Africa. https://www.dsti.gov.za/images/Science_Engagement_Implementation_Plan_13_Nov_2018__copy_002.pdf
Eke, C., Oke, M. M., Bufumoh, A. A., & Apata, T. (2023). National newspaper coverage of health issues in Niger Delta, Nigeria. IMSU Journal of Communication Studies, 7(1), 241–254. https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:0168-ssoar-88497-8
Erubami, J. A., Bebenimibo, P., Ezeah, G. H., & Muobike, O. I. (2023). Newspaper depiction of mental illness in Nigeria. Journal of Public Health in Africa, 14(11), 1527. https://doi.org/10.4081/jphia.2023.1527
Essman, M., Stoltze, F. M., Carpentier, F. D., Swart, E. C., & Taillie, L. S. (2021). Examining the news media reaction to a national sugary beverage tax in South Africa: A quantitative content analysis. BMC Public Health, 21(1), 454-467. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-10460-1
Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning. (2021). National Development Plan (NDP) 2021–2025. Federal Republic of Nigeria. https://nationalplanning.gov.ng/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/NDP-2021-2025_AA_FINAL_PRINTING.pdf
Finkel, J. R., Grenager, T., & Manning, C. (2005). Incorporating non-local information into information extraction systems by Gibbs sampling. In Proceedings of the 43rd Annual Meeting of the Association for Computational Linguistics (pp. 363–370). https://doi.org/10.3115/1219840.1219885
Francke, R. L. (2023). SA medical tech company rolls out innovative wireless ultrasound solution. IOL. https://www.iol.co.za/news/feel-good/sa-medical-tech-company-rolls-out-innovative-wireless-ultrasound-solution-e0a2a22d-113c-47d2-bfc5-fa40f035f733
Göpfert, W. (2007). The strength of PR and the weakness of science journalism. In M. W. Bauer & M. Bucchi (Eds.), Journalism, science and society: Science communication between news and public relations (pp. 215–226). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203942314
Govender, E. M. (2010). How effective is HIV and AIDS communication in Africa? African Communication Research, 3(2), 205–234.
Jahanbin, K., Rahmanian, F., Rahmanian, V., & Jahromi, A. S. (2019). Application of Twitter and web news mining in infectious disease surveillance systems and prospects for public health. GMS Hygiene and Infection Control, 14, Doc19. https://doi.org/10.3205/dgkh000334
Joubert, M. (2007). South Africa: Building capacity. In M. W. Bauer & M. Bucchi (Eds.), Journalism, science and society: Science communication between news and public relations (pp. 251–253). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203942314
Joubert, C. M. (2018). Factors influencing the public communication behaviour of publicly visible scientists in South Africa [PhD dissertation, Stellenbosch University, South Africa]. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/103268
Kagunda, J., & Nabushawo, Sr. J. (2020). Kenya’s media representation of mental health and the role of stigma communication. Africa Journal of Media and Communication, 1(1), 137–161.
Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), & Pew Research Center. (2008). Health news coverage in the U.S. media. https://www.kff.org/other/health-news-coverage-in-the-u-s/
Keakopa, S. M. (2008). Trends in long-term preservation of digital information: Challenges and possible solutions for Africa. Paper presented to Conference on Electronic Publishing and Dissemination, 6–7 October, Dakar. CODESRIA.
Kiptinness, E. M., & Kiwanuka-Tondo, J. (2019). The prevalence of HIV/AIDS frames in Kenya newspapers: A summative content analysis of the Daily Nation. Cogent Medicine, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/2331205X.2019.1596047
Kiptinness, E. M., & Okoye, J. (2021). Media coverage of the novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) in Kenya and Tanzania: Content analysis of newspaper articles in East Africa. Cogent Medicine, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/2331205X.2021.1956034
Li, Y., Nair, P., Wen, Z., Chafi, I., Okhmatovskaia, A., Powell, G., Shen, Y., & Buckeridge, D. (2020). Global surveillance of COVID-19 by mining news media using a multi-source dynamic embedded topic model. In Proceedings of the 11th ACM International Conference on Bioinformatics, Computational Biology and Health Informatics (pp. 1–14). Virtual event. https://doi.org/10.1145/3388440.3412418
Mafunda, M. C., Schuld, M., Durrheim, K., & Mazibuko, S. (2022). A word embedding trained on South African news data. The African Journal of Information and Communication (AJIC), 30, 1–24. https://doi.org/10.23962/ajic.i30.13906
Matsilele, T., Msimanga, M. J., Tshuma, L., & Jamil, S. (2024). Reporting on science in the Southern African context: Exploring influences on journalistic practice. Journal of Asian and African Studies, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/00219096231224668
Ministry of Science and Technology. (2008). Science, Technology and Innovation Policy and Strategy. Republic of Kenya. http://www.ist-africa.org/home/files/kenya_sti-policy_mar08.pdf
Muchira, C. (2023, September 1). Kenya hosts first Pan-African Conference to accelerate growth of medical technology development. KBC. https://www.kbc.co.ke/kenya-hosts-first-pan-african-conference-to-accelerate-growth-of-medical-technology-development/
Mutoro, D. (2021). Media framing and public perception of infectious disease outbreaks: A case of HIV/AIDS and COVID-19 pandemics in Kenya (Doctoral dissertation, University of Nairobi). https://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke/handle/11295/160914
Mutsvairo, B. (2018). If I were a carpenter: Reframing debates in media and communication research in Africa. In B. Mutsvairo (Ed.), The Palgrave handbook of media and communication research in Africa (pp. 413–425). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-70443-2_23
Muzyka, C., Thompson, L., Bombak, A., Driedger, S., & Lorway, R. (2012). A Kenyan newspaper analysis of the limitations of voluntary medical male circumcision and the importance of sustained condom use. BMC Public Health 12, 465–473.
National Planning Commission (NPC). (2012). National Development Plan 2030: Our Future – Make It Work. Republic of South Africa. https://www.gov.za/sites/default/files/gcis_document/201409/ndp-2030-our-future-make-it-workr.pdf
Ncube, M., & Ondiege, P. (2013). Silicon Kenya – Harnessing ICT innovations for economic development. African Development Bank. https://www.afdb.org/en/documents/document/silicon-kenya-harnessing-ict-innovations-for-economic-development-33212
NG Daily News. (2023, June 17). Exclusive: Nigerian president, Tinubu proceeds on first official trip to France, plans to meet team of medical doctors. https://ngdailynews.ng/exclusive-nigerian-president-tinubu-proceeds-on-first-official-trip-to-france-plans-to-meet-team-of-medical-doctors/
Nguyen, A., & Tran, M. (2019). Science journalism for development in the Global South: A systematic literature review of issues and challenges. Public Understanding of Science, 28(8), 973–990. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963662519875447
Obubu, M., Chuku, N., Ananaba, A., Sadiq, F. U., Sambo, E., Kolade, O., Oyekanmi, T., Olaosebikan, K., & Serrano, O. (2023). Evaluation of healthcare facilities and personnel distribution in Lagos State: Implications on universal health coverage. Hospital Practice, 51(2), 64–75. https://doi.org/10.1080/21548331.2023.2170651
Obukoadata, P. O., & Abuah, F. A. (2014). Media surveillance function within the context of the Ebola outbreak in Nigeria: Influences and perceptual frames. International Journal of Scientific Research and Innovative Technology, 1(5), 53–66.
O’Connor, C., O’Connell, N., Burke, E., Nolan, A., Dempster, M., Graham, C. D., Nicolson, G., Barry, J., Scally, G., & Crowley, P. (2021). Media representations of science during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative analysis of news and social media on the island of Ireland. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(18), 9542–9563. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18189542
Okpoko, C. C., & Aniwada, C. E. (2017). Analyzing trends in press coverage of hypertension in Nigeria. Journal of Education, Society and Behavioural Science, 21(4), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.9734/JESBS/2017/32713
Olijo, I. I. (2020). Nigerian media and the global race towards developing a COVID-19 vaccine: Do media reports promote contributions from African countries? Ianna Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 2(1), 65–74.
Palmerini, C. (2007). Science reporting as negotiation. In M. W. Bauer & M. Bucchi (Eds.), Journalism, science and society: Science communication between news and public relations. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203942314
Pouris, A., & Pouris, A. (2009). The state of science and technology in Africa (2000–2004): A scientometric assessment. Scientometrics, 79(2), 297–309. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-009-0419-x
Pretoria Rekord. (2023, May 27). Ground-breaking new asthma treatment device launches in SA. https://www.citizen.co.za/rekord/uncategorized/2023/05/27/ground-breaking-new-asthma-treatment-device-launches-in-sa/
Roberts, H., Bhargava, R., Valiukas, L., Jen, D., Malik, M. M., Bishop, C. S., Ndulue, E. B., Dave, A., Clark, J., & Etling, B. (2021). Media cloud: Massive open source collection of global news on the open web. Proceedings of the International AAAI Conference on Web and Social Media, 15(1), 1034–1045. https://doi.org/10.1609/icwsm.v15i1.18127
Saya, M. (2023, August 14). MoH launches health facility census to check gaps in sector. The Star. https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/realtime/2023-08-14-moh-launches-health-facility-census-to-check-gaps-in-sector/
Shahin, S. (2016). When scale meets depth: Integrating natural language processing and textual analysis for studying digital corpora. Communication Methods and Measures, 10(1), 28–50. https://doi.org/10.1080/19312458.2015.1118447
Smith, H., & Morgoch, M. L. (2022). Science & journalism: Bridging the gaps through specialty training. Journalism Practice, 16(5), 883–900. https://doi.org/10.1080/17512786.2020.1818608
Smith, S., & Smith, S. (2016). Media coverage of the Ebola virus disease in four widely circulated Nigerian newspapers: Lessons from Nigeria. Health Promotion Perspectives, 6(2), 92–95. https://doi.org/10.15171/hpp.2016.16
State Department for Economic Planning (SDEP). (2007). Kenya Vision 2030: A Globally Competitive and Prosperous Kenya. Republic of Kenya. https://web.archive.org/web/20220805174421/https://www.planning.go.ke/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Vision_2030_-_2007.pdf
Statistics South Africa (Stats SA). (2022). Census 2022: Province: Gauteng. https://census.statssa.gov.za/#/province/7/2
Suresh, H., Movva, R., Dogan, A. L., Bhargava, R., Cruxen, I., Martinez Cuba, A., Taurino, G., So, W., & D’Ignazio, C. (2022). Towards intersectional feminist and participatory ML: A case study in supporting feminicide counterdata collection. In FAccT ’22: Proceedings of the 2022 ACM Conference on Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency (pp. 667–678). https://doi.org/10.1145/3531146.3533132
The Maravi Post. (2022, December 22). African Development Bank unveils the African Pharmaceutical Technology Foundation at the 2nd International Conference on Public Health in Africa. African News Agency. https://africannewsagency.com/african-development-bank-unveils-the-african-pharmaceutical-technology-foundation-at-the-2nd-international-conference-on-public-health-in-africa-f92f785e-864f-544d-99f1-2081c407501f/
Uzochukwu, C. E., & Ikegbunam, P. C. (2022). Analysis of newspaper coverage of world cancer day: A study of select newspapers in Nigeria. Journal of Media and Communication Studies, 14(4), 79–91. https://doi.org/10.5897/JMCS2022.0781
Vivion, M., & Gauvin, L. (2022). Integrating infoveillance, infodemiology, and consequential intervention research in our public health systems to better protect and promote the health of Canadians: Ideas and perspectives. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 113(1), 147–154. https://doi.org/10.17269/s41997-021-00575-8
Wasserman, H., Chuma, W., Bosch, T., Uzuegbunam, C. E., & Flynn, R. (2021). South African newspaper coverage of COVID-19: A content analysis. Journal of African Media Studies, 13(2), 333–350. https://doi.org/10.1386/jams_00052_1
Zhang, Y., & Matingwina, S. (2016). A new representation of Africa? The use of constructive journalism in the narration of Ebola by China Daily and the BBC. African Journalism Studies, 37(3), 19–40. https://doi.org/10.1080/23743670.2016.1209224
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Emily Boardman Ndulue, Sandra Roberts, Praise Ocheanya Abraham
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
How to Cite
- Abstract 42
- PDF 25
.png){kind=spacer}