1. Provide the title of your story or series and the names of the journalists involved.
"Sunshine vitamin lost in the clouds"
"The monster in my head: Living with the daily torment of migraine"
"The danger of sitting still"
"Missed diagnoses: How to help your doctor get it right"
2. List date(s) this work was published or aired.
Feb. 23, 2010; May 4, 2010; Sept. 21, 2010; Nov. 2, 2010
3. Provide a brief synopsis of the story or stories, including any significant findings.
Brie Zeltner's stories provided consumers information about the epidemic of vitamin D deficiency in the nation and the debate over changing the daily recommended allowance; told a moving, personal story of the difficulties of living with the chronic pain of migraines; warned readers about the link between sedentary time and early death; and identified the most commonly misdiagnosed illnesses and how to spot the signs before it's too late.
4. Explain types of documents, data or Internet resources used. Were FOI or public records act requests required? How did this affect the work?
To tell these stories, Zeltner used documents from the Food and Nutrition Board, and original research articles from the journals Diabetes, British Journal of Sports Medicine, New England Journal of Medicine and the American Journal of Epidemiology.
5. Explain types of human sources used.
Zeltner also interviewed lead experts in the fields of biochemistry, neurology, public health and cardiology to tell these stories.
6. Results (if any).
Callers confirmed the widespread nature of the vitamin D deficiency problem by providing their test results and experiences with physicians who did not know how to treat them. Callers and holistic health providers sent in so many of their own alternative options for treating migraines that Zeltner wrote a follow-up column on the topic.
7. Follow-up (if any). Have you run a correction or clarification on the report or has anyone come forward to challenge its accuracy? If so, please explain.
No corrections were run with any of these stories.
8. Advice to other journalists planning a similar story or project.
To other reporters working on these kinds of stories, Zeltner advises talking directly to lead researchers. It's easy to misinterpret data and language in scientific studies, and it can require patience to translate highly technical writing to a form that is accessible to readers. When writing on a personal topic, she advises fearlessness. Telling the whole painful truth makes everyone feel less alone.