J Korean Acad Womens Health Nurs.  1998 Dec;4(3):309-321.

An Analysis on the Contents Related to Health in the Three Major Monthly Women's Magazine

• Yoo EK
• Lee SE
• Kim MH

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to analyze the contents related to health in the three major monthly women's magazine that was printed from March, 1997 to February, 1998. The unit of analysis was the section of health, living life, and reaing child. The total number of related story of health was 317. The analysis was done according to the target, health management, topics and the informer by using frequency and number. The findings are as follows : 1. The contents were categorized by target people. The number of items for women was 113(35.6%), child(17.4%), family(15.5), husband(4.7%) and others(26.8%). Others were the contents that are impossible to classify. 2. The number of items of contents by health management was the related to health maintenance and promotion 120(47.8%), health care when they were deviated from health 26(10.3%), and those of both attributes 105(41.8%). 3. The number of items of contents by topics was the related to the occurrence, prevention and treatment of various kinds of disease 41(12..9%), diet 37(11.7%), academic information 11.3%, women's disease 10.4%, the effect of foods 6.0%, child's growth & development and child care 5.75, various kinds of therapy for health care 5.7%, sexual life 5.4% and exercise 4.7%. 4. The number of items of contents by informer was medical doctor 215(49%), lay person's case report or report of a struggle against a disease 12.3%, relevant organization of a related story(eg. family therapy research institute, physical therapist's or teacher's) 11.2%, and the contents of existing books or lecture 8.9%. Among those contents, only the one case from nurse or Korean nurses association as informer was founded, which is related to "skinship child care." In conclusion, this finding showed that women's magazine took a role as a important resource providing informations of health to women. it provides a challenge to the health professionals to have concerns on women's needs, and the content, source, and accuracy of the health related information and take part in the process producing information through such as screening and examining so as to give accurate information to women. Then women's magazine can take a role as a major resource for maintaining and promoting women's health. Finally, nurses's, who are professional health care providers, important and active role as informers toward the lay persons, especially for the women who are non-professional care givers at the family unit should be stressed. More active and continual monitoring and analyzing the contents related health in the mass media including magazine and Internet network in detail, and participating in establishing the system of adequate and precise information for women and lay persons from the nursing profession are required absolutely.

MeSH Terms

Academies and Institutes
Caregivers
Child
Child Care
Delivery of Health Care
Diet
Family Therapy
Female
Health Occupations
Health Personnel
Humans
Internet
Mass Media
Mass Screening
Nursing
Periodicals as Topic*
Women's Health