A critical qualitative content analysis of media representations of underrepresented groups in the context of health identity

Abstract

Information accuracy is imperative for the media representation regardless of what information or context is. A variety of health-related information is conveyed to viewers through television news and entertainment programs, which include but not restrict to the information about healthcare structure and health professionals, knowledge regarding general health issues, specific illnesses, or topics, and health-promoting behaviors. It is crucial to examine what messages viewers perceive through television programs given the impact on their perceptions, expectations, and actions in reality. Apart from the portrayal of health information, the framing of characters within a context can significantly contribute to the understanding of how exposure to media influences viewers’ lives. By conducting a critical content analysis, this qualitative study has explored media portrayals of individuals from underrepresented groups within the context of health in a fictional medical television drama. The findings provide a critical understanding of media exposure on how viewers perceive the social positioning of underrepresented groups in the context of health identity. Portrayals of underrepresented groups are understood through the discourses of condescension, cultural appropriation, stereotyping, and negativity.