Coverage of coma in headlines of US newspapers from 2001 through 2005

To review journalists' preferences and accuracy in reporting comatose states.

Using the Lexis-Nexis database, we selected newspaper headlines from January 1, 2001, through December 31, 2005, that included the words coma, comatose, unconsciousness, vegetative state, awakening, and brain dead.

We identified 340 stories by headlines. The median age of persons in coma was 26 years. Coma cases in men were twice as common as those in women. In 71% of coma cases, the cause of coma was associated with motor vehicle crashes or violence. Persistent vegetative state was reported in 25 articles (7%), frequently when a family or physician conflict emerged. In 33 stories (10%), coma was medically induced but not mentioned in the headline. Three "miracle" recoveries involved resumption of speech in patients in a minimally conscious state.

Few news reports had gross inaccuracies or misrepresentations; however, definitional difficulties of unconscious states with the reporters remain. The reporting of coma may be biased toward violence and trauma. Medically induced coma was present in 1 of 10 reports but rarely mentioned in the headline.