Todays media is full of information about anything and everything, and notable headlines talking about disease outbreaks or the hottest new supplement are commonplace. Although its great we can access information online so easily, the sheer amount can be overwhelming. Critical dissection of these health related news articles can save a lot of unnecessary health anxiety and prevent drastic and often unneeded changes to your day to day life.
Breaking Down The Source
Before you look at anything else, take a look at the source. Take a deep dive into their website and note what you see. Here are a few things to look out for:
- Lack of transparency about the authors
- Lack of transparency about publishing date
- High and distracting number of ads
- High number of articles with extreme headlines
If a website has one or many of these come up during your deep dive into their website, this may not be the most credible source and any article from them should be researched further before trusting the information.
Look for sources and information that come from well known and credible sources. For example: the CDC, government websites, websites run by medical professionals (Like this one!), and peer reviewed medical journals.
Understanding The Article Information
If you feel as though this is a source you can trust, read ahead onto the rest of the article. As you read be sure to watch for health claims or health information the article mentions and look for sources. If the claims come with no source or explanation, this likely isn’t the best way to learn about the topic.
For health related news articles that are referencing their sources, be sure to look into the sources. Research articles from peer reviewed journals are the standard for this kind of research. Take some time to assess the credibility of the source and read the research articles themselves to see if the original article is accurately representing the information.
Reading Research Articles
Reading a research article can be confusing, but here are a few things to look for as you read.
- Number of study participants (higher sample sizes usually means less room for error)
- Who are the study participants? This could be gender, age, ethnicity, health status or more. If the study participants have nothing or very little in common with you, this research may not be as applicable.
- Article discussion. This is where the researchers explain the research and larger implications
- Research limitations. Many studies have limitations to them, being aware of these can provide information on how applicable this study may be.
- Funding and Support. Look into the research funding and support. Articles will post author disclosures and associations which can give you a greater understanding of their background and reason for the research.
After reading, be sure to look for articles in opposition in order to see both sides of the argument. This can give you a clearer picture on what the situation is and helps prevent confirmation bias. If you’re struggling to find good research articles, resources such as PubMed, Google Scholar or ScienceDirect are great places to start.
Consulting With An Expert
Research articles can be hard to understand and the media can be overwhelming! If you are considering making a change to your health based on information found online, it is always best to check with a healthcare provider. You can book with me for nutrition related advice here.
Overall, taking the time to really dig into and review the article, the source, and the research is the best way to critically review health related news articles. These good practices will save you a lot of anxiety and time when consuming health related information.
Rachel Brown is a Dietetics Student at Idaho State University. She is currently completing her bachelors degree and will be attending ISU for her Masters and Dietetic Internship come Fall of 2025. She plans to become a Registered Dietitian in the future.
Using her knowledge from her coursework and research, she helps write blogs for The Mother Road Dietitian. Outside of school, she volunteers at the Idaho State University Food Pantry and also works on her personal blog (www.rachelelieen.com) which she used to learn about social media marketing, website design, and SEO. In her spare time, Rachel loves to workout, see friends, and travel!