Disinformation and Journalistic Routines in Health Reporting: A Study of Professional Practices in the Coverage of Health Content Aimed at People over 74

Abstract

This article analyses the professional routines of health journalists in Spain, and their role in tackling disinformation in health reporting targeted at people over the age of 74. It is based on the premise that this age group, being highly exposed to health issues and particularly vulnerable to health-related misinformation, requires content that is tailored, reliable and easy to understand. The research adopts an exploratory-descriptive approach through a self-administered questionnaire addressed to health journalists belonging to professional associations and working in both general and specialist media outlets. As this is an ongoing study, the preliminary results indicate that these professionals report applying rigorous verification mechanisms, which suggests a trend within the surveyed group towards the consolidation of practices against disinformation. The findings also reveal a preference for informative styles that avoid sensationalism and prioritise clarity, although there remains a tendency towards high-impact topics and those linked to media figures. In contrast, attention to the informational needs of older adults is limited and addressed only occasionally. The study concludes that, although the interviewed professionals consider that health journalism in Spain maintains high standards of rigor, it still faces the challenge of systematically adapting its communicative practices to the needs of vulnerable audiences.