Abstract
Responsibilization refers to the process by which patients are made accountable for their health and wellbeing, which is determined by their habits and behaviors. Though responsibilization affords greater agency to patients, it can also result in anxiety and guilt when the patient appears "deviant" or "noncompliant." Because sexual behavior is attributed to the causality of HIV/AIDS, patients’ sexual patterns and choices are included within their medical decision-making. This rhetorical analysis focuses on pharmaceutical campaigns and commercials for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), which were released between 2012 and 2024 and are targeted towards patients at-risk for HIV/AIDS. Findings suggest that specific rhetorical strategies, such as connotation regarding behavior and moral righteousness, the employment of active voice vs. passive voice, and the construction of the rhetorical ‘model patient’ enforce a tone of responsibilization on the audience. By studying the impact of responsibilizing rhetoric on patient adherence self-efficacy and mental health, this research provides a foundational model by which pharmaceutical companies and experts can promote drug treatments to their patients.
Recommended Citation
Pabalate, Catherine M.
(2025)
"The Rhetoric of Responsibilization: A Rhetorical Analysis of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Campaigns for HIV Prevention,"
Kentucky Undergraduate Journal for the Health Humanities: Vol. 2:
Iss.
1, Article 3.
Available at:
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/kujhh/vol2/iss1/3
