‘It was a freak accident’: an analysis of the labelling of injury events in the US press

Abstract

Objectives Given that the news media shape our understanding of health issues, a study was undertaken to examine the use by the US media of the expression 'freak accident' in relation to injury events. This analysis is intended to contribute to the ongoing consideration of lay conceptualisation of injuries as 'accidents'. Methods LexisNexis Academic was used to search three purposively selected US news sources (Associated Press, New York Times and Philadelphia Inquirer) for the expression 'freak accident' over 5 years (2005e9). Textual analysis included both structured and open coding. Coding included measures for who used the expression within the story, the nature of the injury event and the injured person(s) being reported upon, incorporation of prevention information within the story and finally a phenomenological consideration of the uses and meanings of the expression within the story context. Results The search yielded a dataset of 250 human injury stories incorporating the term 'freak accident'. Injuries sustained by professional athletes dominated coverage (61%). Fewer than 10% of stories provided a clear and explicit injury prevention message. Stories in which journalists employed the expression 'freak accident' were less likely to include prevention information than stories in which the expression was used by people quoted in the story. Conclusions Journalists who frame injury events as freak accidents may be an appropriate focus for advocacy efforts. Effective prevention messages should be developed and disseminated to accompany injury reporting in order to educate and protect the public.

Media, Risk, and Prevention–Lessons for Aquatic Safety From Newsworthy Deaths: Precipice for Prevention or Just Good Tales?

“…None of the newspaper articles reporting the deaths we reviewed included explicit prevention information; however, with the limited information available, the authors generated possible prevention strategies for each death (Smith, et al, 2012). The majority of the strategies are at the lower end of Haddon's hierarchy of control including engineering or administrative strategies (including education); however, not entering the water (i.e., elimination), is also one possible but unlikely prevention strategy (Haddon, 1973).…”

“…The presentations of fatalities and the terminology used within media can influence perceptions of the likelihood of their reoccurrence or severity (Smith et al, 2012). The language used such as accident and freak event positions the death as not only being unfortunate and unpreventable but also unlikely to happen to the reader (Smith, et al, 2012). The provision of a clear injury prevention message reported as part of a sensationalized story is often found to be lacking particularly when such terminology is used (Smith, et al, 2012).…”

“…An example is pediatric drowning deaths which are common but underestimated compared with less common causes of death such as botulism (Michalsen, 2003). The presentations of fatalities and the terminology used within media can influence perceptions of the likelihood of their reoccurrence or severity (Smith et al, 2012). The language used such as accident and freak event positions the death as not only being unfortunate and unpreventable but also unlikely to happen to the reader (Smith, et al, 2012).…”

“…The language used such as accident and freak event positions the death as not only being unfortunate and unpreventable but also unlikely to happen to the reader (Smith, et al, 2012). The provision of a clear injury prevention message reported as part of a sensationalized story is often found to be lacking particularly when such terminology is used (Smith, et al, 2012). We hope that by using these cases as examples and by adding a prevention message to them people are more likely to recall the prevention message in the future, helping to more strongly prioritize and advocate for injury prevention (Michalsen, 2003;Pribble et al, 2008).…”

Examining the term ‘surveillance’ as a potential barrier between public health and community partners

“…Studies have examined how health professionals1 and the public2 interpret the meaning and preventability of an accident . A recent study by Smith and colleagues was the first to examine US news media inclusion of a modifier to the term accident 3. Their exploratory study reviewed the use of freak accident in coverage of injury events.…”