Abstract
BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus and depression are diseases with a rising prevalence in Germany. Journalistic media coverage offers the opportunity to inform the public about options for prevention and therapy. Research shows that media portrayals of different prevention and treatment options might influence health behavior as well as policy support and eventually structural healthcare. OBJECTIVES: To date, little is known about the media coverage of the prevention and treatment of diabetes mellitus and depression. This study aims at demonstrating how diabetes mellitus and depression are portrayed in the German news media, focusing on options for prevention and therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A quantitative content analysis of German print and online media from 2012 to 2018 was conducted. In sum, N = 645 articles on diabetes mellitus (n = 219) and depression (n = 426) were analyzed. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Diabetes mellitus and depression are rarely the main subject in German news coverage despite their high prevalence. Depression is reported more frequently than diabetes mellitus - often, however, in the context of suicide or celebrities. Regarding diabetes mellitus, reports differentiated insufficiently between the various types. For both conditions, pharmacotherapy was mentioned more frequently than low-threshold measures and structural prevention opportunities, which might have adverse consequences for those seeking help. Overall, to establish prevention and low-threshold forms of therapy as treatment options in the public, strategic communicators should focus more on them.