Accepted for/Published in: Journal of Medical Internet Research
Date Submitted: Aug 6, 2021
Date Accepted: Sep 20, 2021
Perception of standard migraine pictures on the internet: A cross-sectional survey study among patients and healthcare workers
ABSTRACT
Background:
The representation of migraine in the media fits stereotypes. Standard pictures of migraine attacks display young, well styled women holding their head in a suffering pain pose. This representation may contribute to social stigmatization of patients with migraine.
Objective:
We aim to analyze how patients with migraine and healthcare workers perceive medial images of migraine.
Methods:
The study consisted of a web-based survey of patients with migraine of the Headache Center, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin and employees and students of our university (healthcare group). Ten frequently used stock pictures (Adobe Stock©) of migraine attacks were presented to the participants. Each picture was rated on a scale 0-100% based on how closely it resembled a realistic migraine attack (realism score). Patients with migraine also indicated how much each picture corresponded to their own migraine in percentage (representation score). We analyzed the mean realism and representation scores for all pictures and in the following categories: male/female models, younger/older models, unilateral/bilateral pain pose.
Results:
A total of n = 367 patients with migraine and n = 331 healthcare employees and students completed the survey. In both groups, the mean realism score was <50% (47.8% ± 18.3 in the migraine group and 46.0% ± 16.2 in the healthcare group). Patients with migraine could identify their own migraine in these pictures to a lesser degree (mean representation score = 44.4% ± 19.8, P < 0.001 vs. realism score). Patients and healthcare workers considered pictures with male models more realistic than pictures with females (P < 0.001) and pictures with older models more realistic than those with younger people (P < 0.001). Only in the healthcare group, a bilateral pain posture was deemed more realistic than a unilateral pose (P < 0.001).
Conclusions:
Standard images of migraine attacks are considered only little or modestly realistic by patients and healthcare workers. Some characteristics perceived as more realistic such as male sex or older age are in contrast with migraine epidemiology. A more accurate representation of migraine in the media could help to raise the awareness for migraine and reduce the associated stigma.
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