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Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus and the Media

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Eli N. Perencevich and
Debbie M. Treise
Eli N. Perencevich*
Affiliation:
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, and the Center for Research in the Implementation of Innovative Strategies in Practice, Iowa City VA Medical Center, Iowa City, Iowa
Debbie M. Treise
Affiliation:
College of Journalism and Communications, University of Florida, Gainesville
*
Iowa City VA Medical Center, 601 Highway 6 West, Suite 3E21, Iowa City, IA 52246 (eliperencevich@uiowa.edu)
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Abstract

How the media communicate and how the scientific community influences the media are important factors to consider in the public health response to emerging pathogens, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Social representation theory suggests that the media link “the threatening” to commonplace “anchor representations,” which can serve to educate or to create fear.

Information

Type
Supplement Article
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 31 , Issue S1: Papers from the Fifth Decennial International Conference on Healthcare-Associated Infections , November 2010, pp. S48 - S50
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2010

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