Scientist: Maike Winters

Maike Winters profileMaike Winters is postdoctoral associate at the Yale Institute for Global Health. Her PhD research at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm was focused on communication and misinformation in infectious disease outbreaks and explored methods to successfully counter misinformation. With a background in psychology and journalism, Maike studies communication in various settings through an epidemiological lens.

News reporter or TV journalist at press conference, holding microphone and writing notes

Why hype in press releases is ineffective – and how to fix it?

Press releases sometimes exaggerate scientific findings and omit study limitations. Scientists are investigating why, and testing ways to make them more accurate.

ESMH Maike Winters interview: News reporter or TV journalist at press conference, holding microphone and writing notes

A scientist’s opinion: interview with Maike Winters on hype in press releases

Interview with Maike Winters from the Karolinska Institute. Press releases are clearly shorter than the studies they describe. What is wrong with leaving out some aspects of studies? Maike Winters: We saw that studies' limitations, funding sources and conflicts of interest are frequently omitted from press releases. But they are needed to convey a complete ...