Lessons learned from previous environmental health crises: Narratives of patients with Minamata disease in TV documentaries as the main media outlet

Abstract

On 16 August 2017, the Minamata Convention on Mercury entered into force to protect human health and the environment from the adverse effects of mercury. Minamata disease is caused by methylmercury poisoning in humans. The victims’ acute symptoms were captured in photographs by Eugene Smith by which people worldwide became aware of this environmental health crisis. Over 60 years have passed since the first case of methylmercury poisoning. The victims/patients have aged and little is currently known how the crisis affected them and their community. Additionally, little is understood about patients affected by serious environmental pollution in socio-economic poverty. This study aimed to describe narratives of these patients from public broadcasting company’s documentaries, as well as to overview media coverage on TV. Descriptive analysis of TV documentaries showed patients’ various concerns and sorrow through their narratives in consecutive years. Archiving these TV documentaries that cover environmental health crises may provide an educational opportunity that does not fade with time. People worldwide can learn from the narratives of patients, even in local environmental health crises, via TV documentaries.

Keywords

• tv documentary
• minamata disease
• japan broadcasting corporation (nhk)
• narrative
• mercury poisoning