Cure or Carcinogen? A Framing Analysis of European Radon Spa Websites

Abstract

Objectives: Radon, a radioactive gas, is among the leading causes of lung-cancer worldwide. While public health authorities emphasize radon’s health risks, there are spas across Europe which claim health benefits of radon. This study investigates how websites of European radon spas frame radon gas, in order to understand the potential controversy between “radon as carcinogen” and “radon as cure,” and its potential impact on public health interventions.Methods: A two-phased frame analysis of websites of radon spas (n = 26) situated in the European Union.Results: Five frames are identified, which present radon as a 1) source of health, 2) natural gas, 3) (non) risk, 4) luxury and 5) fountain of youth. These five partly overlapping frames are at times in clear contrast with the ways in which radon is presented in a public health context.Conclusion: Being aware of the existence and contents of radon frames, which potentially challenge or contradict public health interventions, helps responsible authorities in designing more effective campaigns and interventions.

A Systematic Review of Radon Risk Perception, Awareness, and Knowledge: Risk Communication Options

“…There are thermal baths all over the world that are advertised for beneficial treatments in radon-rich waters, and radon has been used for medical treatments. This issue has been addressed in depth by a recent analysis of websites advertising spa treatments, trying to understand how such messages may influence public perceptions about radon [32]. Controversies in the scientific world are part of the knowledge landscape concerning many health risks caused by environmental determinants and certainly complicate the task of the authorities responsible for protecting public health [33].…”