Analyzing the Discursive Framing of Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUDs) in U.S. News Media: A Comparative Study of Benefits, Persuasion Methods, and Temporal Trends

Medications for opioid use disorder (MOUDs) offer substantial benefits but are underutilized. Media representations of MOUD benefits potentially shape public and policymaker attitudes toward these treatments. This study examines how MOUD benefits are portrayed in the news media, exploring variations by medication type, publication period, news source, and persuasion approach. We analyzed 81 articles from the New York Times, USA Today, and Fox News spanning 2014-2016 and 2019-2021. Using iterative categorization, we identified recurring themes in MOUD benefits and methods of persuasive communication. Only 49% of articles mentioned one or more MOUD benefits (<i>n</i> = 39). Ten categories of MOUD benefits were identified, with most articles highlighting reduced cravings and withdrawal symptoms (<i>n</i> = 30) and decreased overdose risk (<i>n</i> = 28). Other benefits like improved mother-baby outcomes (<i>n</i> = 4) and reduced HIV risk (<i>n</i> = 3) were rarely discussed. Buprenorphine benefits were most frequently detailed (<i>n</i> = 35), followed by methadone (<i>n</i> = 24) and naltrexone (<i>n</i> = 13). More articles emphasized MOUD benefits in 2019-2021 (<i>n</i> = 24/32) compared to 2014-2016 (<i>n</i> = 15/49), and Fox News articles (<i>n</i> = 8/27) reported MOUD benefits less frequently than New York Times (<i>n</i> = 21/37) and USA Today (<i>n</i> = 10/17) articles. MOUD benefits were typically presented through central persuasion (logical arguments), and less often through peripheral persuasion (emotional anecdotes, expert testimonies). Communication about MOUDs in the media warrants improvement, with implications for public and policymaker understanding and support. Future research should focus on identifying effective media strategies to enhance public awareness and acceptance of MOUD benefits.