Health Information and the Media

Images of health portrayed on television (TV) and in popular media generally do not reflect the 'real world' of health and illness. Various health behaviours, and preventive health practices, of media characters and models do not occur with anything like the same frequency as the actual prevalence of these behaviours and practices in the community. This misrepresentation of health has important public health consequences, particularly since the mass media is the principle source of health information in Australia. This paper discusses how general exposure to TV and popular media contributes to misleading impressions of the relationship between various behaviours and health, and the subsequent health implications for the public.