Journal article
Framing Medical Tourism: An Analysis of Persuasive Appeals, Risks and Benefits, and New Media Features of Medical Tourism Broker Websites
Health communication, v 29(7), pp 637-645
09 Aug 2014
PMID: 24138286
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
This study explores the benefits and risks featured in medical tourism broker websites, as well as the types of persuasive appeals that these websites use to attract potential customers, from a framing theory perspective. In addition, it examines relationships among types of appeals and specific types of health-related services offered by medical facilities abroad and the role of new media modalities within medical tourism broker sites. A content analysis of 91 medical tourism broker websites was conducted. The results indicate that the websites highly emphasized benefits while downplaying the risks. Specifically, despite offering consumers complicated and risky medical procedures, the websites failed to report any procedural, postoperative, or legal concerns associated with them. Moreover, the results indicated that the websites relied on heavy use of new media features to enhance the appeal of the medical services that were offered. The implications of these findings, future directions for research, and limitations of the study are discussed.
Metrics
Details
- Title
- Framing Medical Tourism: An Analysis of Persuasive Appeals, Risks and Benefits, and New Media Features of Medical Tourism Broker Websites
- Creators
- Hyunmin Lee - Saint Louis UniversityKevin B. Wright - George Mason UniversityMichaela O'Connor - St Louis Univ, Dept Commun, St Louis, MO 63108 USAKevin Wombacher - University of Kentucky
- Publication Details
- Health communication, v 29(7), pp 637-645
- Publisher
- Taylor & Francis
- Number of pages
- 9
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Communication
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000334826900001
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-84899559383
- Other Identifier
- 991021862792704721
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
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Source: SDGs in the Output
InCites Highlights
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Communication
- Health Policy & Services