Changes in Suicide Reporting Quality and Deaths in Ontario Following Publication of National Media Guidelines

Abstract

Abstract. Background: Media guidelines can influence suicide-related reporting quality and may impact suicide rates. Aim: Our study aimed to investigate the quality of suicide-related reporting after the release of the 2009 Canadian Psychiatric Association (CPA) guidelines and their impact on suicides. Method: A random sample of suicide-related articles ( n = 988) were retrieved from 12 major Canadian print/online publications (2002–2015). Articles were coded for quality of content before and after guidelines release. Suicide mortality data were obtained from Ontario coroner records. Time series analyses were used to identify associations between guideline publication and subsequent suicides. Results: The CPA guidelines were associated with improvements in reporting quality with 10 putatively harmful elements being less frequent after their publication. These included less frequent front-page articles, monocausal (simplistic) explanations for suicide, and depictions of suicide methods. Two putatively protective factors, alternatives to suicide and messages of hope, were twice and four times as common, respectively, after the guidelines. The guidelines were not associated with a change in suicide counts. Limitations: This study could not prove exposure to suicide reporting. Conclusion: Publication of Canadian media guidelines was associated with significant, moderate-sized improvements in reporting quality but not with decreased suicides. The latter finding may reflect only modest dissemination and implementation of the guidelines.

Canadian news media coverage of suicide during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…For one, the COVID-19 situation may have increased awareness of suicide as an issue among Canadian journalists, leading them to better utilize responsible reporting of suicide recommendations [ 11 , 15 ]. Another explanation is that this continues a long-term trend of improved reporting of suicide and mental health issues in recent years [ 29 , 30 ].…”

Changes in Media Reporting Quality and Suicides Following National Media Engagement on Responsible Reporting of Suicide in Canada: Changements de la Qualité des reportages dans les médias sur les suicides suite à l’engagement des médias nationaux à la déclaration responsable du suicide au Canada

“…We tested the hypothesis of a reduction in suicide deaths associated with initiative onset with interrupted time-series analyses using the autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) method as in previous studies 33 to examine monthly suicide deaths in the GTA adjusting for autocorrelation and changes in population size, consumer price index and unemployment rate. In parallel with our media reporting quality analyses, we conducted a primary ARIMA analysis focused on changes in the postimplementation period and a secondary ARIMA analysis examining change across both the implementation and postimplementation periods.…”

The portrayal of mental health in Irish mainstream news media

“…Good compliance was found with the provision of appropriate supports. Sinyor et al (2020) have shown an improvement of the media reporting of suicide following the publication of local guidelines. The new Media Guidelines for Reporting Suicide (Samaritans Ireland, 2020), which was published after the completion of our study is welcomed and will hopefully lead to further improvements in journalistic standards.…”