{"id":36905,"date":"2025-07-31T10:00:07","date_gmt":"2025-07-31T04:30:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/?p=36905"},"modified":"2025-07-18T14:09:41","modified_gmt":"2025-07-18T08:39:41","slug":"the-power-of-framing-in-medical-research-communication-why-it-matters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/the-power-of-framing-in-medical-research-communication-why-it-matters","title":{"rendered":"The Power of Framing in Medical Research Communication: Why It Matters"},"content":{"rendered":"

There was a viral medical research story going around in 2018, with the title \u201cFederal study finds marijuana 100X less toxic than alcohol, safer than tobacco.\u201d While the headline successfully triggered conversations,\u00a0 scientists who took a closer look found that it may have been misleading<\/a>. This is just an example of the power (and responsibility) that everyone who frequently crafts medical and health research communication wields.<\/p>\n

While this is an extreme example of misleading communication, medical researchers and healthcare professionals who regularly communicate critical health-related information or research have to recognize the importance of framing their communications well.<\/p>\n

Framing as a lens<\/strong><\/p>\n

When a study says the drug efficacy is 90%, as opposed to the fact that there\u2019s a chance of 10% failure, both statements use the same data, but the first may feel more reassuring, while the second leans towards being more cautionary. That difference comes from how they are framed, i.e., how you shape them. Every time you share research findings or health information, you make choices about what to say and how to say it. These choices shape how people understand the message<\/a>, what they focus on, and how they feel about it. Think of framing as a lens\u2014the frame you use doesn\u2019t change the facts, but it can change how those facts are seen.<\/p>\n

But does framing really matter? Yes, because people don\u2019t approach health messages like blank slates. They come with existing beliefs, emotions, and experiences. The way a message is framed can either resonate and make sense or feel confusing or even intimidating. There are two major types of framing<\/a>:<\/p>\n