Media representations of rural and coastal cancer inequalities in the UK: A 10-year retrospective place-based analysis

Place-based inequalities in cancer care are well documented across the UK and internationally, yet the extent to which mainstream media represents these disparities remains unclear. This study provides the first systematic, decade-long analysis of UK newspaper reporting on rural and coastal cancer issues, examining how media narratives construct and frame place-based disadvantage. Using a mixed-methods content analysis of 10,812 articles retrieved from Lexis + UK (2015-2025), 188 eligible articles were identified through structured screening. Guided by agenda-setting and framing theory and informed by place-health theory that conceptualises rural and coastal residence as structural determinants of health, data were coded for tone, key issues, cancer frames, and geographical focus, with qualitative synthesis complemented by quantitative analysis. Coverage of rural and coastal cancer was limited but increased over time. Reporting was highly localised, with national outlets offering comparatively little coverage. The most frequent narratives centred on travel burden, unequal access to treatment, workforce shortages, and the withdrawal or centralisation of services. Sociopolitical framing dominated (86% of articles), presenting cancer inequalities as structural and policy driven. Spatial imbalance was evident, with disproportionate reporting from Scotland relative to England, Northern Ireland and Wales. Personal accounts illustrated lived experience but typically reinforced broader structural narratives. Media representations of rural and coastal cancer issues therefore foreground systemic explanations but remain unevenly distributed across the UK media landscape. Limited national visibility may contribute to a continued policy blind spot. Strengthening place-sensitive communication and equitable media attention may support wider recognition of rural and coastal cancer challenges.