Metaphorical mediation in women's perceptions of risk related to osteoporosis: A qualitative interview study

Abstract

When risks affecting the body are identified and made visible through medical technologies, individuals need to find ways to communicate and express them through metaphorical projection. We used cognitive metaphor theory to explore women's conceptions of the risk inherent in osteoporosis. Data were drawn from focus group discussions with women who had no personal experience of osteoporosis, and individual interviews with women perceiving themselves to be at risk of osteoporosis. Women described osteoporosis as a hazard implying physical deviation from the healthy norms. This sense of risk was specifically couched in the metaphorical terms of a collapsing building and loss of the upright position. This image embraced a variety of perceptions of the body related to the hazards of osteoporosis. Findings revealed metaphors about the construction of the skeleton and the material of the bones, explaining the notion of danger. The perception of risk related to osteoporosis was framed by imagery of the destruction of the skeleton, the porous bones, frail bodies, a collapsing backbone and lack of trust in the body. Metaphors can be transformative, shaping the perception of a concrete health risk and changing the meaning of the risk. The metaphorical conception of osteoporosis may have a fundamental impact on women's perception of their bodily identity being at risk and thereby affect the image of their bodily capacities as vulnerable and create negative expectations of old age and health. Women's use of metaphors invites reflections on the use of metaphors in risk communication.