Dementia in the news: the media coverage of Alzheimer's disease

Abstract

Objective: To identify and analyse the contexts in which Alzheimer's disease is portrayed in the New Zealand print media. Methods: Items from 15 newspapers from over a 5‐year period, which contained the word ‘Alzheimer's’, were subjected to a qualitative interpretive analysis to determine recurring patterns of the representation of Alzheimer's disease. Results: The word ‘Alzheimer's’ was found in notices, scientific reports, obituaries, personal stories, ‘missing people’ reports and reports dealing with residential care for people with Alzheimer's disease. The advocacy organisation, Alzheimers New Zealand, was called upon frequently by the media to speak for people with Alzheimer's disease and their families. Conclusion: The analysis revealed that the media remains a powerful transmitter of stereotypes. In the case of Alzheimer's disease these included those associated with ageing and with dementia.