SOCIAL REPRESENTATION OF RARE DISEASES IN THE SPANISH PRESS

Rare diseases directly affect more than 3 million people in Spain. Thus, they can be considered a major health social concern. The data contributed in the present research are the result of the application of content analysis on the treatment given by the press to rare disease patients through the news items and pictures published in the main Spanish newspapers. According to the framing theory, this study is aimed at revealing the set of possible frames -as well as the latent news frames that go unnoticed at first glance, and the pictures included in these news items. Results depict the interpretation of the Spanish press regarding over 7,000 catalogued rare diseases, and personally-and professionally-related agents.