Introduction: Today, the care of patients with multiple sclerosis and those around them represents a clinical and therapeutic challenge for healthcare professionals. The aim of this study is to analyse the appearance of multiple sclerosis in literature, cinema and television, and to reflect upon the image it has in these media.
Development: Several representative works that have addressed multiple sclerosis were reviewed, and many of them were seen to offer a very true-to-life vision of the disease. Likewise, a review was also conducted of the most relevant films and TV series that, on occasions, offer the general public a close look at the impact of the disease on patients or relatives, although they are sometimes somewhat exaggerated for the sake of increased dramatic effect and offer a slightly distorted view of reality.
Conclusions: Literature largely reflects the real epidemiology, the symptoms and development of the disease, while less attention seems to be given to the diagnostic and therapeutic options open to patients. Cinema and television have offered a correct image but sometimes with the addition of more dramatic effects. It is important for literature, cinema and television to offer a realistic view of this neurological disease so as to make it better known among the public and to help lessen the stigma attached to it.
Title: La esclerosis multiple en la literatura, el cine y la television.
Introduccion. En la actualidad, la atencion del paciente con esclerosis multiple y su entorno supone un reto clinico y terapeutico para los profesionales de la salud. El objetivo del presente trabajo es analizar la aparicion de la esclerosis multiple en la literatura, el cine y la television, y reflexionar sobre su imagen en dichos medios. Desarrollo. Se han revisado algunas obras representativas que han abordado la esclerosis multiple, y se ha observado que en muchas de ellas se ofrece una vision muy fidedigna de la enfermedad. Del mismo modo, se han revisado las principales peliculas y series de television que, en ocasiones, son un reflejo cercano al publico general de la vision e impacto de la enfermedad sobre los pacientes o familiares, no exentas de excesos dramaticos y distorsiones de la realidad. Conclusiones. La literatura refleja, en gran medida, la epidemiologia real, los sintomas y la progresion de la enfermedad, mientras que las opciones diagnosticas y terapeuticas parecen estar en un segundo plano. El cine y la television han ofrecido una imagen correcta, pero en ocasiones atendiendo mas a efectos dramaticos. Es importante que la literatura, el cine y la television ofrezcan una vision ajustada a la realidad de esta enfermedad para dar a conocer esta afeccion neurologica y contribuir a disminuir su estigma.