Application of a Scorecard Tool for Assessing and Engaging Media on Responsible Reporting of Suicide-Related News in India.

BACKGROUND: Each year there are more than 800,000 deaths by suicide across the world, while India alone accounts for one third of female suicides and one fourth of male suicides worldwide. Responsible media reporting of suicide is an important suicide prevention intervention at the population level. There is sufficient evidence to show that the way suicide is reported and portrayed in the media can have a significant impact on individuals experiencing suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Recognizing the important role of the media in suicide prevention, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued guidelines for responsible reporting of suicides by the media. The Press Council of India, in 2019 endorsed WHO's guidelines for media reporting of suicides, however there is no evidence that the Indian media is complying with these guidelines. METHODS: To encourage responsible media reporting, we developed a scorecard to assess and rate media reports on suicide. We reviewed several resource documents that contained guidelines on responsible reporting of suicide. After consulting with a team of experts, we arrived at a scorecard that consisted of 10 positive and 10 negative parameters. RESULTS: We applied the scorecard to 1318 reports on suicide from 9 English language newspapers, with the highest readership in India between the dates of 1 April to 30 June 2020. For the articles analyzed, the average positive score across all newspapers was 1.32 and the average negative score was 3.31. DISCUSSION: The scorecard can be a useful tool to assess media reports on suicide and provide metrics for the same. It can facilitate improved monitoring and engagement with media organizations, who can quickly check their own reporting compliance to the WHO guidelines and compare how well they are performing compared to their peers over time.

A descriptive mapping review of suicide in vulnerable populations in low and middle countries.

INTRODUCTION: In 2016, low-and-middle income countries (LMICs) accounted for 79% of the global suicide deaths. In LMICs, vulnerable groups-women, sexual minorities and refugees, and internally displaced persons (IDPs)-are at high risk of suicidal ideation, attempts and deaths by suicide, but information for designing targeted interventions for them is fragmented and missing, making it difficult to address gaps in the existing system. This review highlights these gaps by mapping: (a) risk factors associated with suicides and suicidal behavior including challenges in implementing targeted programmes for vulnerable groups; and (b) recommendations for effective suicide prevention interventions and strategies in LMICs as documented in the literature. METHODS: A descriptive mapping review of literature was conducted. Three electronic databases-PubMed, Google Scholar, and Refworld-were searched for specific keywords. The researchers mapped and reviewed 34 studies on suicide and suicide prevention across three main vulnerable groups. RESULTS: This review highlighted the need for gender-specific interventions for women and sexual minorities, addressing gender-based discrimination, access to healthcare, abuse and violence, while for refugees and IDPs, critical concerns are monitoring and understanding suicidal behaviors and to address psychological and emotional responses to resettlement. CONCLUSION: In LMICs, specific and unique socio-cultural and environmental factors may increase the risk of vulnerable groups to suicidal behaviors. In order to develop effective and comprehensive suicide prevention strategies, it is crucial to evaluate these differential risk factors and develop culturally appropriate and sensitive interventions and strategies.

Analysis of news media reports of suicides and attempted suicides during the COVID-19 lockdown in India.

BACKGROUND: Based on previous experience there is justifiable concern about suicidal behaviour and news media reporting of it during COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: This study used a systematic search of online news media reports (versions of newspapers, magazine and other digital publications) of suicidal behaviour during India's COVID-19 lockdown and compared it to corresponding dates in 2019. Data was gathered using a uniform search strategy from 56 online news media publications 24 March to 3 May for the years 2019 and 2020 using keywords, suicide, attempted suicide, hangs self and kills self. Demographic variables and methods used for suicide were compared for suicide and attempts between the 2 years using chi-squared tests (χ2). RESULTS: There were online news media reports of 369 cases of suicides and attempted suicides during COVID lockdown vs 220 reports in 2019, a 67.7% increase in online news media reports of suicidal behaviour. Compared to 2019, suicides reported during lockdown were significantly older (30 vs 50 years, p < 0.05), men (71.2% vs 58.7%; p < 0.01), married (77.7% vs 49%; p < 0.01) and employed (82.9% vs 59.5%; p < 0.01). During the lockdown, significantly more suicides were by hanging (64.4% vs 42%), while poisoning (8.5% vs 21.5%) and jumping in front of a train (2% vs 9.4%) (p < 0.05) were significantly reduced. Comparison of COVID and non-COVID groups showed that online news media reports of COVID cases of suicide and attempted suicide were significantly more likely to be men (84.7% vs 60.4%; p < 0.01), older (31-50 years 52.9% vs 25.8%; p < 0.01) employed (91.5% vs 64.3%; p < 0.01), had poor mental (40.1% vs 20.8%; p < 0.01) and poor physical health (24.8% vs 7.9%;11.8, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Increase in online news media reports of suicides and attempts during COVID-19 lockdown may indicate an increase in journalists' awareness about suicide or more sensational media reporting or may be a proxy indicator of a real community increase in suicidal behaviour. It is difficult to attribute changes in demographic profile and methods used only to changes in journalists' reporting behaviour and should be further explored. We therefore call upon the Government of India to urgently release national suicide data to help devise a comprehensive suicide prevention strategy to address COVID-19 suicidal behaviour.