Frames and counter-frames giving meaning to dementia: A framing analysis of media content

• Published in: Social science & medicine (1982) Vol. 74; no. 8; pp. 1274 - 1281
• Main Authors: Van Gorp, Baldwin, Vercruysse, Tom
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.04.2012; Elsevier; Pergamon Press Inc
• Subjects: Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Alzheimer's disease; Attitude to Health; Belgium; Biological and medical sciences; Caregivers; Communication; Content analysis; Degenerative and inherited degenerative diseases of the nervous system. Leukodystrophies. Prion diseases; Dementia; Dementia - psychology; Framing; Health Care Services; Health Communication; Humans; Identity; Information Dissemination - methods; Literature; Mass Media; Mass Media Images; Media; Medical diagnosis; Medical sciences; Miscellaneous; Motion Pictures; Neurology; Newspapers as Topic; Organic mental disorders. Neuropsychology; Professionals; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Public Opinion; Quality of Life; Senility; Stereotyping; Stigma; Western Society; Belgium; Europe; Belgium; Alzheimer’s disease; Stigma; Media; Framing; Identity; Health communication; Dementia; Human; Nervous system diseases; Alzheimer disease; Chronic disease; Cerebral disorder; Content; Central nervous system disease; Degenerative disease; Social medicine; Mass media; Alzheimer's disease; Social identity; Public health; Communication
• ISSN: 0277-9536; 1873-5347
• DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2011.12.045

Media tend to reinforce the stigmatization of dementia as one of the most dreaded diseases in western society, which may have repercussions on the quality of life of those with the illness. The persons with dementia, but also those around them become imbued with the idea that life comes to an end as soon as the diagnosis is pronounced. The aim of this paper is to understand the dominant images related to dementia by means of an inductive framing analysis. The sample is composed of newspaper articles from six Belgian newspapers (2008–2010) and a convenience sample of popular images of the condition in movies, documentaries, literature and health care communications. The results demonstrate that the most dominant frame postulates that a human being is composed of two distinct parts: a material body and an immaterial mind. If this frame is used, the person with dementia ends up with no identity, which is in opposition to the Western ideals of personal self-fulfilment and individualism. For each dominant frame an alternative counter-frame is defined. It is concluded that the relative absence of counter-frames confirms the negative image of dementia. The inventory might be a help for caregivers and other professionals who want to evaluate their communication strategy. It is discussed that a more resolute use of counter-frames in communication about dementia might mitigate the stigma that surrounds dementia. ► Examination of books, movies, public health communications and news coverage in Belgian newspapers that represent dementia. ► The results show six dominant frames; for each dominant frame we identify an alternative counter-frame. ► The most dominant frame is that since the mind defines identity, a person with dementia ends up with no identity. ► We conclude that the relative absence of counter-frames confirms the negative image of dementia. ► The list of frames might be a help for professionals and caregivers who want to evaluate their communication strategy.