Media visibility of causes promoted by organizations of people with illness in the Portuguese online press (2021–2023)

Abstract

This article analyzes how the Portuguese online press frames health causes promoted by patient organizations, highlighting the role of health advocacy in advancing social justice. The research focuses on three case studies – the extension of parental bereavement leave, the right to be forgotten law, and access to enteral nutrition – and employs a qualitative and quantitative content analysis of 79 journalistic pieces published between 2021 and 2023 across five Portuguese digital media outlets. The findings show that media coverage mostly amplifies the causes with greater public visibility and symbolic value, such as the extension of parental bereavement leave, which received the most prominence and editorial depth. Conversely, less mediatic topics, such as access to enteral nutrition, attracted less attention. The study concludes that the media act as catalysts for health advocacy when the causes align with the political agenda and mobilize public opinion. However, media visibility depends on the social recognition of these causes, which reinforces the need for organizations to invest in proactive, well-grounded media advocacy strategies to overcome editorial barriers and ensure greater impact.