Communication About Health Disparities in the Mass Media

A variety of scholars have explored the role of communication in reducing, maintaining, and even widening health disparities, but comparatively less attention has focused on the content and effects of communication about health disparities in the mass media. This article aims to summarize the current state of knowledge about these issues by identifying key outcomes and audiences for mass-mediated communication about health disparities, describing what is known about public opinion about health disparities, reviewing selected research on the content and effects of mass-mediated communication about health disparities, and identifying priorities for future research to better understand the role of communication in shaping public support and collective action to reduce health disparities.