[Drug therapy and hypertension in the newspapers].
OBJECTIVE
The most recent country-wide Canadian data have revealed that only 33% of people with hypertension take medication and fewer than half of them have their blood pressure under control. One of the most important reasons for difficulty in controlling blood pressure is lack of drug treatment compliance. In addition, media coverage of health facts has an impact on beliefs, attitudes and behaviours related to health. Our goal was to analyze newspaper coverage of drugs related to hypertension.


METHODS
We conducted a thematic content analysis of newspapers covering medications related to hypertension. The study comprised 104 articles drawn from three of the most important francophone daily newspapers in Canada--a reference one, a general broadsheet and a tabloid.


RESULTS
We identified three major themes: 1) drugs as an effective treatment, 2) specific problematic cases, and 3) problems with the pharmacological approach in general. We noted a gradual change from positive to negative as we moved from the most serious newspaper to the most popular. We discuss the Fiske hypothesis which suggests that tabloid-format newspapers are a repository of popular opposition to the discourse of groups who hold power in society.


CONCLUSIONS
In the tabloid, the most widely-read newspaper in Quebec, medications are often presented in negative fashion in articles on hypertension. However, further studies are required to determine if there is a causal association between media discourse and the phenomenon of lack of drug treatment compliance.
Faculté de pharmacie, Université de Montréal, Case postale 6128, succursale Centre-ville, Montréal, Québec H3C 3J7. johanne.collin@umontreal.ca
Johanne
J
Collin
David
D
Hughes
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002170:Canada; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D055118:Medication Adherence; D009524:Newspapers as Topic; D011792:Quebec
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents