Date of Award

Summer 8-16-2024

Level of Access Assigned by Author

Open-Access Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Communication

Advisor

Laura Rickard

Second Committee Member

Amelia Couture Bue

Third Committee Member

Janet Yang

Abstract

Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of fluorinated chemicals posing both environmental and health threats due to their persistence in the environment and human body. PFAS chemicals are used widely for their broad applications, which has led to them being found in soil and water worldwide. Researchers in the state of Maine and beyond are working to understand PFAS. In this work, online communications about PFAS chemicals are explored using quantitative content analysis, specifically integrative framing analysis, to describe how PFAS risks are being communicated by different organizations at different scales. Using concepts related to efficacy and the psychometric paradigm, I explore both text and images on these websites, drawing connections between the two. Efficacy information (self-efficacy, response efficacy, or societal efficacy) about PFAS, such as information about water testing, is included on just over half of the sampled websites. Regarding the psychometric paradigm, PFAS risk is framed as having personal effects, meaning that the text implies the risk will affect the reader, 65.6% of the time and as inequitable, meaning that the text implies PFAS will affect some populations more than other, 42.2% of the time. Interestingly, efficacy information co-occurs in the sample with the presentation of PFAS is personal and inequitable; however, framing of PFAS having personal effects does not co-occur with framing of PFAS being inequitable. Websites produced by federal level organizations (as opposed to state or local organizations) are less likely to include efficacy information, less likely to discuss farms or farmers, and less likely to discuss any of the 50 U.S. states. Similarly, websites published by government organizations (as opposed to advocacy or trade organizations) are more likely to discuss the individual U.S. states and less likely to refer to PFAS as “forever chemicals.” Text and images present congruent messages in approximately half of cases, though some topics have higher congruency than others. For example, messaging related to farmers or farms is congruent more often than messaging about firefighting foam, water/stain resistant material, packaging, and cookware. From these findings, I suggest that future websites communicating PFAS risk should frame more carefully for their audience, including images where appropriate to highlight messages, and include relevant efficacy information. This research establishes what currently exists with regards to communicating PFAS risks and points to potential for researchers and practitioners to further understanding of best practice for PFAS risk communication.

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