Assistant Professor of Communication, Journalism, and Media (CJM) and Internship Coordinator, Stephanie Anderson Witmer, was recently awarded two gold Digital Health Awards for her contributions to women’s health journalism and health journalism.
Witmer has been a professional journalist for nearly 30 years and has contributed to health journalism for over a decade, during which she has explored research across topics that are often stigmatized and/or under-researched. A specific focus of her work is menopause; her article, “How One Study Shaped 20 Years of Menopause Care,” published for Hone Health, earned recognition for addressing the misconceptions about hormone therapy treatment for menopausal women.
“So many aspects of women’s health are either under-researched or stigmatized — or both — so I’m always seeking to shine a light on those areas. Menopause is a big one.” Her work aims not only to inform the public but also to empower women. “The conversation about menopause has changed a lot in the past decade, and readers are craving more information so they can better empower themselves.”
In addition to her work on menopause, Witmer wrote the article “Do you Spend Too Much Time on the Toilet? What Your Bathroom Habits Say About Your Gut Health,” as a part of a winning series on digestive health for Health.com. Her article focuses on bathroom habits and discusses interesting findings about modern technology’s impact on personal health. “I joke to people that I’ve written about every nook and cranny of the body, and that was certainly the case for the article I contributed to Health’s series on bathroom habits,” she stated. The exploration of how cell phone usage affects our bathroom time stood out to audiences.
Witmer’s rigorous research process stands as a testament to her dedication to delivering authentic and well-informed journalism, especially in health-related topics. She emphasized the importance of collecting expert research and peer-reviewed studies. “My research process involves finding the best expert sources to interview, reading as much as I can about what’s already been written about the topic, and reading peer-reviewed medical studies and other research material,” she explained.
As digital health media becomes more popular, Witmer acknowledges the challenges writers face in delivering both accurate and reader-friendly content. “People are always going to be interested in and concerned about their health, so it’s an evergreen topic,” she noted. The need to craft health content that engages while remaining credible is crucial in a landscape often consumed by wellness influencers who don’t always provide the most accurate information.“We have to craft health content that reaches people, makes them want to keep reading and arms them with the information that’s accurate but also accessible,” Witmer stressed.
Witmer is quick to highlight that her success would not be made possible without collaboration. “I couldn’t have done this work or won these awards without my editors at Hone Health and at Health.com.” She expressed great appreciation for her editor at Hone Health, Tracy Middleton, with whom she has collaborated for many years. “She always pushes me to produce the best work I possibly can,” Witmer stated.
For those entering the communications and media field, Witmer offers guidance based on her extensive experience in the field. “Curiosity and empathy are critical characteristics to be successful in this business,” she advises. “It’s not an easy niche, but it’s extremely rewarding to write stories that can actually help people.”
Professor Witmer’s achievements at the Digital Health Awards exemplify her dedication and impactful work in women’s health journalism, health journalism and the CJM field as a whole, inspiring future journalists and CJM students at Shippensburg University.
