A Study of the Accuracy and Reliability of Articles About Alopecia in Newspapers

January 2018 in “ Annals of Dermatology ”

Hyojin Kim, Inho Park, Do Hyeong Kim, So Hee Park, Gyeong Je Cho, Jung Eun Seol

alopecia male pattern hair loss alopecia areata dermatologists hair loss baldness

TLDR Newspaper articles on alopecia are often inaccurate and sometimes mix up different types of hair loss.

The study by Hyojin Kim and colleagues analyzed the content and reliability of newspaper articles on alopecia from three major newspapers over a three-year period. The accuracy of the articles was rated as high in 38.9%, 47.2%, and 23.3% for each newspaper group, with significant differences in reliability scores between common readers and dermatologists (p<0.05). The articles often used the general term "alopecia" and equated it with male pattern hair loss, although alopecia areata was more common among hospital visitors. Expert opinions, particularly from dermatologists, were the most cited, and articles quoting dermatologists were more accurate. The study highlighted the need for media monitoring to ensure balanced and accurate information on alopecia and for physicians to address misinformation. However, the study was limited by its focus on only three newspapers and possible subjectivity in evaluations.

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