Aims: Social scientist Ulrick Beck links the idea of "risk society" with images of chronic uncertainties. The aim of this paper is to study how health risks are communicated in this social context.
Materials and methods: In order to do that we explored a selection of articles published by two of the most popular newspapers in Italy, Corriere della Sera e La Repubblica, the UK, The Times e The Guardian, and France, Le Monde e Le Figaro, during 2009. RESULTS. This study allowed us to identify a transnational interest towards H1N1 pandemic that is characterized by picks of attention followed by periods of general indifference, and an alarmist frame. In alternative to this cross-country representation of H1N1 pandemic, however, we also identified three specific frames, one per each country. According to our analysis these frames can only be understood in close relation to citizens' trust towards the policy of science and the institutions, as well as the local and cultural traditions of science communication.
Conclusions: Having said that, we are convinced that there is no perfect receipt that transcends the local context can be implemented to communicate health risks such as the ones associated H1N1. Nevertheless, our data indicate that there are good examples of health risks communication actually happening in Europe balancing between the risks of generating alarmism and denying the uncertainties of science become that are by now more and more evident.