Healthy Skepticism Library item: 7437
Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.
Publication type: Journal Article
Kempner J.
Gendering the migraine market: do representations of illness matter?
Soc Sci Med 2006 Oct; 63:(8):1986-97
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6VBF-4K7FB0S-4&_coverDate=10%2F31%2F2006&_alid=525180465&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_qd=1&_cdi=5925&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=9846e784f1bbaed6dfaa2a3946947969
Abstract:
Migraine is a common, debilitating and costly disorder. Yet help-seeking for and rates of diagnosis of migraine are low. Drawing on ethnographic observations of pharmaceutical marketing practices at professional headache conferences and a content analysis of migraine advertising, principally in the USA, this paper demonstrates: (1) that the pharmaceutical industry directs its marketing of migraine medication to women; and (2) as part of this strategy, pharmaceutical advertisements portray women as the prototypical migraine sufferer, through representations that elicit hegemonic femininity. This strategy creates the impression that migraine is a “women’s disorder”, which, in turn, exacerbates gender bias in help seeking and diagnosis of migraine and reifies presumptions about the epidemiology of the disorder. I conclude that these pharmaceutical marketing practices have a paradoxical effect: even as they educate and raise awareness about migraine, they also create barriers to help seeking and diagnosis.
Keywords:
Migraine; Headache; Pharmaceutical advertising; Gender; USA
Publication Types:
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH Terms:
Advertising/methods
Advertising/trends*
Drug Industry*
Female
Gender Identity*
Health Education
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice*
Humans
Male
Metaphor
Migraine Disorders/diagnosis
Migraine Disorders/drug therapy
Migraine Disorders/psychology*
Patient Acceptance of Health Care/psychology
Sex Factors
Tryptamines/therapeutic use
United States/epidemiology
Women's Health
Substances:
Tryptamines
