Are you ‘woman enough’ to control your leading cause of death?: an ethnographic content analysis of women’s cardiovascular disease and identities in media narratives

ABSTRACT

The Heart Truth^® campaign was implemented in the United States by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute in 2002 to increase women’s awareness of heart disease and encourage risk reduction of cardiovascular disease. The present study explored representations of women’s cardiovascular disease, the meanings generated, and the implications for identity construction within one prominent corporate media partner of the campaign. The inaugural 2003 October issue of Glamour magazine was the focus of an ethnographic content analysis. Women’s cardiovascular disease was constructed within an overarching theme of a culture of consumerism, with meanings of cardiovascular disease emerging within two subthemes: (a) the oblivious, unknowledgeable, dependent woman at risk and (b) attaining a particular version of a healthy, feminine woman. Women’s identities were constructed as dependent on experts, purchasing fashion and fitness merchandise, and heteronormative roles for health management. These findings extend health psychology research that has called for more critical explorations of media to extend understandings of disease meanings and the implications for identity and women’s health.

KEYWORDS:

• Cardiovascular disease
• health campaign
• qualitative media analysis
• women

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Christine A. Gonsalves

Christine Gonsalves is a PhD student in Human Studies at Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. She is a member of the International Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in the Human Sciences. Her research interests include qualitative media analyses, women’s health promotion, and cardiovascular disease prevention.

Kerry R. McGannon

Kerry R. McGannon is an associate professor in Sport and Exercise Psychology, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. Her work “bridges” psychology and cultural studies to understand physical activity participation via interpretive qualitative methodologies. She also uses these methodologies to study self-identities and critical interpretations of sport, exercise, and health.

Robert J. Schinke

Robert J. Schinke is a professor and Canada Research Chair in Multicultural Sport and Physical Activity at Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. Most of his research is undertaken in communities with marginalized people using qualitative methodologies.

Ginette Michel

Ginette Michel obtained her graduate studies at Boston University in Physical Education. For over 24 years she has served as coordinator of Health Promotion and Assistant Professor within the School of Human Kinetics at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. She has applied experiences and research interests in medical, oncology and psychiatric populations in patient management.