From spectacle to prevention: a structured review of the literature on the media construction of health in sports

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15847/OBS20262812

Keywords:

health communication, sports journalism with a scientific approach, science communication, sports journalism, public health

Abstract

This study analyzes the construction of health narratives in sports journalism through a structured review. Based on the SALSA framework and given the emerging nature of this subfield, 27 articles published between 2013 and 2023 were analyzed to explore what narrative trends and challenges emerge in this field. The results indicate that physical injuries and mental health issues are the predominant topics, especially in relation to soccer, American football, and basketball. The review highlights the prevalence of sensationalist and stigmatizing frameworks, particularly with regard to psychological vulnerability, ethical controversies such as doping, and the underrepresentation of women's health. The study underscores the potential of sports journalism to act as a platform for public health education and science communication, provided it adopts a more ethical, contextualized, and inclusive narrative.

Author Biographies

Juan Ignacio Martin-Neira, Universidad de los Andes, Chile

Juan Ignacio Martin Neira is a Chilean journalist with a master’s degree in Science Communication and a Ph.D. in Social Sciences from the University of Granada, Spain. He has worked as a professor at various universities, in the media, and, in particular, in the communications department of science outreach projects in Chile. He is currently a research professor at the Universidad de los Andes in Chile. His research focuses on science journalism, digital journalism, and sports reporting.  

 

María Fernanda Cerda-Diez, Universidad de los Andes, Chile

María Fernanda Cerda-Díez holds a Ph.D. in Communication from the School of Communication at the Universidad de los Andes, Chile. She also holds a Master’s degree in Intercultural Communication from the University of Sheffield, UK, and a Master’s degree in Public Health with a specialization in communication and health from Boston University. She is a journalism graduate of the Universidad de los Andes and holds a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from the same university. She currently works as an assistant professor in the School of Communication at the Universidad de los Andes in Chile. Her research focuses on health communication, health literacy, and digital literacy—particularly the adoption of technologies by older adults.

 

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Published

2026-08-11

How to Cite

Martin-Neira, J. I., & Cerda-Diez, M. F. (2026). From spectacle to prevention: a structured review of the literature on the media construction of health in sports. Observatorio (OBS*). https://doi.org/10.15847/OBS20262812

Issue

2026: Early Access

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Juan Ignacio Martin-Neira, María Fernanda Cerda-Diez

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

This is an Open Acess article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), which permits use, sharing and adaptation, provided appropriate credit is given to the original author and the journal.