Aurora top 20 – November 2009
Posted on 11. Nov, 2009 by phaedrus in Health, Industry, News, Top 20
Winter is upon us! The cold nights are drawing in, the supermarket shelves are stocked with novelty chocolates, the over-eager are dishing out mince pies and Aurora is turning its attention to the final top 20 analysis of 2009. A month of movers and shakers, November saw nine re-entries punch into the chart. The year did not see so much movement at the top spot with swine flu holding first place from May to November. The only other topics to get a first place look-in were general issues about cancer, nutrition and obesity.
The biggest mover in November was general news about heart disease (categorised as ‘unspecified’ in the chart), which pulled its way up from the bottom half of the chart to bronze medal position. Topics such as weight loss, maternity care, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease all re-entered the chart. Swine flu held onto the number one spot and cancer (unspecified) fell from second to seventh place. Below we explore some of the month’s most interesting issues in more depth.
Dementia. Malnourishment and dehydration are not words that you would normally associate with NHS care. But in November, the Alzheimer’s Society was reported as speaking out against the care of dementia patients, following the results of a survey commissioned by the charity, Counting the cost: caring for people with dementia, which suggested that patients aged over 65 are kept in hospital for too long and that the standard of care received actually worsens their condition. An anonymous comment on the Health Service Journal website read, “One of the main reasons for the difficulties is the continuing resistance of the NHS to regarding dementia as a mental health issue, rather than a social care issue. Until dementia is accepted as a mental illness it will never receive the proper attention that it needs for the health services.”
Bowel cancer. Healthy lifestyles were discussed as a possible prevention for cancers such as bowel cancer and breast cancer, according to articles in a broad range of newspapers this month. Reporting on a study by the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), the newspapers suggested that almost 80,000 cases of cancer could be prevented per year. Professor Martin Wiseman, Medical and Scientific Adviser for WCRF, said: “These estimates set out in stark terms just how high the stakes are and show what could be achieved through making relatively simple lifestyle changes.”
Depression. Discussions of healthy eating also bit into depression this month with the Daily Mail reporting research published in the British Journal of Psychiatry that suggested people who regularly eat junk food are 60 percent more likely to experience depression that those who choose fruit, vegetables and fish. The London-based research team suggested that high levels of antioxidants in fruits and vegetables protect against depression, as does the folate found in broccoli, cabbage, spinach, lentils and chickpeas. Vegetable smoothies all round then!
And finally, 17th of November saw news of the discovery of “female Viagra” reported in The Guardian, Daily Express and Daily Mail. Women participating in the trial reported having 2.8 satisfying sexual events before taking flibanserin, a serotonin receptor agonist, and 4.5 per month after. Some have questioned whether a pharmacological approach will really address the loss of female libido. Newsweek journalist Barbara Kantrowitz commented on the Newsweek blog that, “women in long-term relationships tend to need more stimuli, and that means a guy who satisfies them emotionally (doing the dishes always helps) as well as physically.” Time magazine commented, “It remains to be seen whether 0.8 more bouts of satisfying sex is enough to win FDA approval.” Aurora notes that these stats don’t add up!
So, what has been revving up the news in November? Let’s take a look at the Aurora rev-counter, which aims to provide a snapshot of what’s driving the health news each month:
The rev-counter was similarly sliced in November as compared to October, with news relating to health service delivery driving coverage, and patient and professional group news having little impact. Coverage of news relating to the pharmaceutical industry accounted for approximately one-in-seven pieces.
Of note was news in the Financial Times, which suggested that more and more patients are choosing to have NHS treatment delivered in private hospitals. The paper reported, “Over 18 months, and after a very slow start, the numbers doing so have quadrupled from 2,100 a month in April 2008 to 8,400 this August. The business is now worth £200m a year to the private sector, and rising, according to Bob Ricketts, director of system management at the Department of Health.” The article went on to say, “Asking whether the big squeeze to come on NHS spending is likely to mean fewer opportunities for the private sector or more, Mr Ricketts said: Probably more.”
Aurora strives to apply quantitative, qualitative and emotional understanding of health issues to client communication programmes. Dove-tailing informed PR activity with the media’s appetite enables us to assist clients with communicating their vision.
To find out more, contact Neil Crump or Claire Eldridge on +44 (0)20 7424 7940.
The top 20 chart provides our interpretative snap-shot of health stories in the national press and is based upon a quantitative process. Analysis based on news from the 26 October to 25 November.
