Peer-reviewed article
A multidimensional examination of child mortality in Turkey: Media representations and professional perspectives
Tuğba Canbulut, Ebru Dayanır ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-sonnet-5-5This qualitative study looks at how child deaths in Turkey are portrayed in the media and how professionals who work with children understand them. It analysed 278 news articles from the Cumhuriyet newspaper (2000-2024) and interviewed 25 professionals from social work, psychology, law, midwifery and education. Media coverage tended to individualise and dramatise incidents. Professionals pointed instead to systemic causes such as social determinants, policy gaps and institutional failures. The authors call for rights-based, interdisciplinary and cross-sector approaches to prevention.
Key points
- Child mortality is often framed narrowly as a health issue but reflects structural inequalities, institutional deficiencies and societal factors.
- Media portrayals tend to individualise and dramatise incidents of child death.
- Professionals emphasise systemic causes such as social determinants, policy gaps and institutional failures.
- Media visibility plays an important role in shaping public awareness.
- The study calls for integrated policy frameworks built on social justice, legal accountability and cross-sector collaboration.
Limitations
Only the abstract is available, and the news data come from a single newspaper (Cumhuriyet), while the interview sample is 25 professionals, so the findings cannot be generalised. It does not give mortality figures, specific causes of death, or evidence on whether any prevention approach works.
Abstract
Child mortality is often framed narrowly as a health issue, yet it reflects deeper structural inequalities, institutional deficiencies, and societal factors. This qualitative study investigates the representations of child deaths in Turkey by analyzing media discourse and the professional experiences of those working with children. Utilizing content analysis of 278 news articles from Cumhuriyet newspaper (2000–2024) alongside in-depth interviews with 25 professionals from social work, psychology, law, midwifery, and education, the research reveals divergent narratives: media portrayals tend to individualize and dramatize incidents, whereas professionals emphasize systemic causes such as social determinants, policy gaps, and institutional failures. The findings underscore the critical role of media visibility in shaping public awareness and highlight the need for interdisciplinary, rights-based approaches to prevention. Ultimately, the study calls for integrated policy frameworks that address child mortality through social justice, legal accountability, and cross-sector collaboration, moving beyond health-centric paradigms to safeguard children’s rights and well-being.