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Representations of mad cow disease
1Academic Centre for Medical Education, University College London, Archway Campus, Highgate Hill, UK. peter.washer@ucl.ac.uk
Social Science & Medicine (1982)
|July 28, 2005
Summary
British newspapers
Area of Science:
- Medical Sociology
- Media Studies
- Public Health Communication
Background:
- Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) emerged as a significant public health concern.
- Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD) represented the human form of this novel disease threat.
- Understanding public perception and media portrayal is crucial for disease management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the evolution of media representations of BSE and vCJD in British newspapers.
- To explore how social representations theory explains the conceptualization and public communication of these diseases.
- To identify who or what was perceived to be at risk and who was blamed for the diseases' origins and spread.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of three 'snapshots' of British newspaper coverage between 1986 and 1996.
- Application of social representations theory to interpret media content.
- Examination of risk attribution and blame within news reporting.
Main Results:
- Newspaper reporting on BSE and vCJD evolved significantly over the decade studied.
- Social representations theory provided a framework for understanding disease conceptualization in media.
- Media coverage identified specific risks and attributed blame for disease origins and spread.
Conclusions:
- Media plays a critical role in shaping public understanding of novel diseases like BSE and vCJD.
- The evolution of reporting reflects changing societal perceptions and scientific understanding.
- Attribution of risk and blame in media coverage influences public response and policy.
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