Media coverage of medical decision making at the end of life: a Belgian case study.

Abstract

This article presents a content analysis of Belgian media coverage of end-of-life decision making. The authors examine a selection of press articles and the differences among media genres in covering the issue. In general terms, they found an overreporting of euthanasia; a focus on dying processes resulting from cancer and Alzheimer's disease; and an attention to political discussions and political voices, which outnumber patient voices. In genre-specific terms, unlike mainstream media, niche media reported less mediagenic aspects of the end of life. Finally, although popular mainstream media focus on personal aspects of the end-of-life, elite mainstream media privilege political aspects.

• Authors: Leen Van Brussel, Paul Van Landeghem, Joachim Cohen
• Journal: Death studies (Death Stud) 2014 Jan-Jun Vol. 38 Issue 1-5 Pg. 125-35 ISSN: 0748-1187 [Print] United States
• PMID: 24517711 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Topics

• Belgium
• Death
• Decision Making
• Euthanasia (psychology, statistics & numerical data)
• Humans
• Mass Media (statistics & numerical data)
• Newspapers as Topic (statistics & numerical data)