The portrayal of Lyme Disease by a Public Service Broadcaster

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background The tick-borne condition Lyme borreliosis, commonly known as Lyme Disease, is an emerging problem in the U.K. Thus media coverage highlighting clinical features and measures to prevent tick bites is welcome. How well does the news media provide this information? Here, reports from the British Public Service Broadcaster, the BBC, were examined. Methods BBC coverage of Lyme Disease was classed depending on media type as ‘television’, ‘radio’ or ‘web page’. Keywords related to symptoms and prevention techniques were recorded. Images of ticks or the characteristic EM rashes were also noted. Results More reports occurred in the spring and summer months than autumn and winter (Q2, 31.7%: Q3, 29.1%). Early diagnostic features such as a ‘rash’ (53.3%) and reference to tick bites (68.9%) were frequently mentioned. Other symptoms were well covered; including fever or ‘flu-like’ symptoms (43.6%), malaise (35.9%) and joint pain (43.6%). Less often mentioned were focal symptoms; including arthritis (8.7%) or facial palsy (6.7%). Prevention techniques were mentioned in 32% of all media reports, with tick removal (26.2%) and body checking (20.3%) being most often mentioned. Tick images were frequently provided (40.7%), but those of EM rashes less often (16.5%). Conclusion Overall, coverage of early symptoms was high. However, symptoms indicative of later infection were less well covered. Increased use of EM images, and more appropriate tick images, could aid Lyme Disease identification amongst the general public.