Women’s Magazine Coverage Of Heart Disease Risk Factors: Good Housekeeping Magazine, 1997 To 2007

Women, who often turn to magazines for health information,continue to underestimate their risk for heart disease, though itremains the leading cause of death among women in the UnitedStates. This textual analysis considered the portrayal of women’srisk factors for heart disease as problem and remedy frames withinarticles published by the highest circulation women’s magazine inthe U.S., Good Housekeeping, from 1997 to 2007. These findingswere then compared with corresponding information endorsedby the American Heart Association. Far from underestimating awoman’s risk for heart disease, GH articles seemed to target womenat low risk for heart disease, while emphasizing risk factors uniqueto women. The magazine coverage was largely consistent withAmerican Heart Association information, yet offered a broaderrange of treatment and prevention strategies that were sometimescontradictory or vague. One significant risk factor, race, was notmentioned in the magazine articles. This review calls for futureresearch to determine the pervasiveness and possible effects of suchcoverage.