Writing healty news is an important part of a journalist’s toolkit. It’s important to have the right balance between research-backed fact and compelling storytelling, while keeping in mind the audience’s existing beliefs, cultural context, health literacy levels and more.
Format can also have a significant impact on how you focus your idea. It’s important to consider whether your article will take the form of a brief news story, in-depth feature or something else entirely.
It’s also vital to effectively explain research methodologies, limitations and where a particular finding sits within the broader scientific landscape. Acknowledgements of uncertainties and the slow, iterative nature of scientific discovery can build trust in health news.