Maternal Death Media Reports from Anglophone West Africa

53 detailed articles from online newspapers and blogs across five countries were analyzed for content on maternal mortality. Kiran Roy conducted this content analysis, with most articles published in 2023 and originating from Nigeria. The study coded articles using the three-delay model and a standards checklist derived from journalism principles.

Use Cases

• Analyze the frequency of reported 'delays in facilities' like negligence or long waiting times across different countries.
• Compare the proportion of articles that 'consulted independent experts' (6%) versus those capturing perspectives of spouses or government.
• Examine the distribution of article types (online newspaper vs. blog) and their publication years to understand media trends.
• Assess adherence to reporting standards, such as the percentage of articles that 'distinguished fact from opinion' or were 'respectful' (90%).
• Map the geographic bias in coverage by analyzing the country of origin for each article, with 75% from Nigeria.

Strengths

• Content analysis of 53 detailed articles provides a focused qualitative dataset.
• Data includes inter-coder reliability assessment for quantitative analysis and an audit trail for qualitative analysis.
• Clear temporal context with 30% of articles published in 2023.

Limitations

• Small sample size of 53 articles limits statistical power and generalizability.
• Geographic bias is present, with 75% of articles from a single country (Nigeria).
• The dataset is tiny at 17.5 KB, indicating very limited scope and detail.

Provenance

Source

figshare, author Kiran Roy.

Collection Method

Content analysis of selected online newspapers and blogging sites from five Anglophone West African countries.

Time Range

Articles primarily from 2023, with specific publication dates not detailed.

Freshness

Last updated in April 2026, indicating recent maintenance.

Geography

The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone.