Portraits on the crack user built by the media

Abstract

Objective: evaluate how the crack user is portrayed by the media. Method: qualitative study, using fourth generation evaluation. The data were collected in interviews and fi eld observations in a mental health network service of the Porto Alegre-RS metropolitan area. The participants were 10 users, 11 family members, 08 health service professionals and 07 managers. Results: the fi ndings revealed that media relates the crack user profi le to violence, crime and disease, which does not correspond to the reality experienced in the health service. This image disregards the different ways of using the drug and the different productions of life of these individuals, increasing social exclusion and stigma. Final considerations: The challenge is to build shared, integrated, clear and honest information. Social Vulnerability. RESUMOObjetivo: avaliar como o usuário de crack é retratado pela mídia. Método: estudo qualitativo, utilizando-se avaliação de quarta geração. Os dados foram coletados em entrevistas e observações de campo em um serviço da rede de saúde mental da região metropolitana de Porto Alegre-RS. Os participantes foram 10 usuários, 11 familiares, oito profi ssionais do serviço de saúde e sete gestores. Resultados: os achados revelaram que a mídia divulga um perfi l do usuário de crack ligado à violência, criminalidade e doença, o que não corresponde à realidade vivenciada no serviço de saúde. Essa imagem desconsidera as diferentes maneiras de uso da droga e as diferentes produções de vida desses indivíduos, aumentando a exclusão social e o estigma. Considerações fi nais: o desafi o é construir informações compartilhadas, integradas, claras e honestas. Descritores: Meios de Comunicação; Pesquisa Qualitativa; Avaliação em Saúde; Saúde Mental; Vulnerabilidade Social. RESUMENObjetivo: evaluar cómo el usuario de crack es retratado por los medios de comunicación. Método: estudio cualitativo, utilizando la evaluación de cuarta generación. Los datos fueron recolectados en entrevistas y observaciones de campo en un servicio de la red de salud mental del área metropolitana de Porto Alegre-RS. Participaron 10 usuarios, 11 familiares, 08 profesionales del servicio de salud y 07 gestores. Resultados: Los resultados revelaron que los medios de comunicación divulgan un perfi l del usuario de crack vinculado a la violencia, la criminalidad y la enfermedad, lo que no corresponde a la realidad vivida en el servicio de salud. Esta imagen desconsidera las diferentes maneras de uso de la droga y las diferentes producciones de vida de esos individuos, aumentando la exclusión social y el estigma. Consideraciones fi nales: el desafío es construir informaciones compartidas, integradas, claras y honestas.

Social Stigma and Discrimination Toward People With Drug Addiction: A National Survey in Korea

“…45 Stigma and discrimination toward drug addiction has side effects such as denying and blaming of individuals with drug addiction, and exempting government from their responsibility in drug addiction. [46][47][48] As a study confirming this negative effect of stigma and discrimination, previous studies conducted on HIV patients found that stigma reduced clinical intervention for individuals suffering from depression. 49 In a questionnaire among Indian HIV clinicians, 62% of participants were neutral or agreed with the statement that "depression is a sign of personal weakness, " and 53% of participants felt it was difficult to work with someone who was depressed.…”

“…Efforts to explain drug addiction as a brain disease can potentially increase the negative stigma effect in the perspective and perception toward drug addiction and show that it can lower expectations about people’s chances of recovery [ 45 ]. Stigma and discrimination toward drug addiction has side effects such as denying and blaming of individuals with drug addiction, and exempting government from their responsibility in drug addiction [ 46 - 48 ].…”

Assessment of stigma and prejudice in the organization of care networks for drug users

“…Stigma and prejudice towards drug users are related to a number of factors, such as the perception that drug use leads to people committing irrational acts, racist historical associations between certain drugs and certain populations, religious objections, and perceived interference in the neoliberal values that blame individuals and exempt the state from responsibility, with the exception of actions aimed at people who abuse psychoactive substances (7)(8)(9) .…”