Evaluation of stigmatizing language and medical errors in neurology coverage by US newspapers

Mayo Clinic Proceedings
Joseph J CaspermeyerJoseph I Sirven

Abstract

To analyze US newspaper coverage of neurologic diseases to determine whether stigmatizing language is used in describing patients and examine its sources where found and to examine stories for medical errors. A content analysis of newspaper articles was performed for 2003 using the Lexis-Nexis database. Keyword searches for 11 common neurologic conditions were performed for The New York Times and 8 regional newspapers with circulation greater than 200,000. A total of 1203 stories focusing on 11 neurologic conditions were recovered. Newspaper coverage did not reflect disease prevalence (rank correlation, p=-0.009; P=.98). The topics most covered were Alzheimer disease and other dementias (400 stories, 33% of total), which were eventually combined Into 1 category for purposes of data analysis. Conditions with the highest prevalence were among the least covered topics, including migraine (34 stories, 3% of total) and head trauma (19 stories, 2% of total). Stigmatizing language was found in 15% of all stories. Excluding wire stories, the average among locally produced newspaper stories was higher (21%). Stories on epilepsy (30%) and migraine (29%) contained the highest frequency of stigmatizing language. Sources of stigma within a ...Continue Reading

References

Dec 14, 2002·Mayo Clinic Proceedings·Jane C Lantz, William L Lanier
Feb 26, 2004·Anesthesia and Analgesia·Mats K E B Wallin, Samson Wajntraub

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Citations

Sep 10, 2008·Hand : Official Journal of the American Association for Hand Surgery·Shawn AnthonyDavid Ring
Dec 7, 2007·Mayo Clinic Proceedings·Joseph I SirvenKatherine H Noe
May 11, 2010·Epilepsy & Behavior : E&B·Joseph I Sirven
Jan 1, 2007·Mayo Clinic Proceedings·William L Lanier
Oct 14, 2006·Mayo Clinic Proceedings·Eelco F M Wijdicks, Marilou F Wijdicks
Mar 15, 2006·Mayo Clinic Proceedings·Jessica M Fishman, David Casarett
Apr 19, 2008·Risk Analysis : an Official Publication of the Society for Risk Analysis·Anne-Marie NicolNegar Elmieh
May 13, 2011·Epilepsia·Peter WolfEdward H Reynolds
Jan 14, 2010·Epilepsia·Stephen M BowmanGregory B Sharp
Mar 5, 2013·Epilepsy & Behavior : E&B·Victoria S S WongLinda Selwa
May 22, 2016·Epilepsy & Behavior : E&B·Lynn K HerrmannMartha Sajatovic
Sep 13, 2006·Health Communication·William Evans
May 22, 2018·Alzheimer's & Dementia : Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring·Shana D StitesJason Karlawish
Nov 18, 2019·Current Pain and Headache Reports·Heiko PohlAndreas R Gantenbein
Mar 16, 2017·Acta Neurologica Scandinavica·A J NobleA G Marson

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