Health surveillance in the Brazilian press: overview of the media coverage of the Brazilian health regulatory agency¹

Abstract

The article presents an overview of the Brazilian media coverage of the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency (ANVISA). The sample consists of texts published in different print and online media throughout 2018, totaling 1,629 publications from 148 different media. Data underwent content analysis, showing that most texts on health surveillance in the press do not approach ANVISA as the main source nor as a body of the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS). The main themes in the period were related to regulation, records, and authorizations. Among the subjects under the ANVISA responsibility, the most frequent were related to medication and pharmacopoeia. Given the national repercussion involving the death of a patient of a plastic surgeon and digital influencer due to the use of a product authorized by the agency, most publications date from July. ANVISA should review its positioning with the press, expanding its role as a protagonist of the Brazilian health surveillance in the media. The results suggest trends in national coverage and may help improving the communication strategies not only of ANVISA, but also of other health institutions.

Keywords:
Health in Mass Communication; Journalism; Health Surveillance; Press; Health Communication