What to do when you can't find the right research for your story? A Florida newspaper pursued a novel collaboration with researchers on a new study on how the state's Medicaid program impacts children.
A first-of-its-kind CDC report on arthritis gained hardly any notice in the media recently. Given the prevalence of the disease in the U.S., why aren’t health reporters devoting more coverage to this issue?
Our ability to pinpoint the causes behind the big increases in drug overdose deaths in recent years rest largely on one lowly piece of paperwork: the death certificate.
Most numbers you see in health stories are estimates. Yet very few stories acknowledge that. Antidote blogger Bill Heisel discusses a few ways that you can help illuminate the estimation process for your audience.
“That simply doesn’t pass face validity" is something you'll often hear in scientific circles. Antidote's William Heisel explains why the phrase has something to teach journalists as well.
Sometimes a big percentage increase is an exciting story that your audience should hear about, but it also might be a puff of smoke obscuring a flimsy story, as recent news suggests.
You don’t have to be a math whiz to make this calculation: If you see a chart, map or visualization, there must be data behind it. It's a good practice for reporters to ask for the underlying data.
If you have a story that needs to be told, don't wait for a huge attachment to show up in your inbox. Hunt for the data that will help you tell your story. And keep in mind that a data expert can be an invaluable guide along the way.
The “free the data” movement has been rippling through local, state and federal agencies in recent years. California has published 55 datasets since its soft launch last August, but continues with its health data rollout.
