The narrative and dramatization of Alzheimer’s disease in the popular TV series “This is Us” may help reduce the stigma around dementia and promote family discussions about plans for aging, new research has found.
Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health and University of Southern California conducted the first-of-its-kind study to examine how a television entertainment narrative impacts peoples’ views toward Alzheimer’s disease.
Researchers conducted an online survey of 720 viewers of the “This is Us” TV series and follow-up discussions with four focus groups who watched the show to assess viewer perceptions of an Alzheimer’s disease and caregiving storyline from the show and how it may impact their behavioral intent toward planning for aging. The show’s fourth season highlighted the fictional family’s mother who experienced memory decline and mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s disease.
Results from the survey and focus groups results suggested the show’s storyline may “motivate viewers to discuss plans for aging with their family because of a reduction in stigma and seeing on-screen family tensions related to senior care.”
“Given that the average U.S. adult spends about 2,000 hours watching primetime television per year, but only an hour with a health care professional, it’s critical for clinicians and public health professionals to understand how television narratives impact health decisions,” lead author Beth Hoffman, Ph.D., M.P.H., postdoctoral associate in the Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences at Pitt Public Health, said in a news release.
“Results suggest investments in collaborative partnerships between public health and the entertainment industry may be a valuable way to positively impact those affected by Alzheimer’s disease and caregiving,” the authors concluded.
The study appeared in the August 31 issue of the Journal of Health Communication.
