Mental health

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Mental health the mediaHow the press can play
a positive role

• Carl OBrien, Social Affairs Correspondent, The
  Irish TimesIMO conference, April 2009

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How are mental health issues covered in the media?

• Media reflects societal stigma
• Under-reported
• Often irresponsible media coverage
• Politics, crime, health more important

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Why dont mental issues get the coverage they
deserve?

• Politically its not seen as important
• Issues not relevant to the population at large
• Lack of access to human interest stories
• No strong union / authority voice
• Media reflects still stigma prevalent in society

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Examples of media coverage

• Headline agency monitors media coverage of mental
  health issue
• Most print articles especially tabloid - are
  considered either negative or irresponsible
• Significant numbers of articles are responsible
  and helpful in lifting the stigma of mental
  ill-health

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What are the effects of media coverage?

• An episode of BBCs Casualty involved a person
  self-harming by taking a paracetamol overdose
• Numbers taking overdoses increased by almost 20
  during following week and 10 the next
• Around one fifth of these patients interviewed
  said the programme influenced them

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What are the effects of media coverage? (2)

• German TV drama depicted the railway suicide of a
  man at the start of each episode
• During the series, railway suicides increased by
  175
• Suicides by other means did not increase over the
  same period
• Clear evidence that it not only influences the
  method, but also the rate of suicide

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How print media effects mental health

• The book Final Exit, a guide to suicide for
  terminally ill, recommends asphyxiation for
  taking ones life
• During the year it was published, the number of
  suicides increased by more than 300
• A copy of the book was found at the premises of
  almost one third of these suicide

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Media guidelines

• Guidelines produced by the National Union of
  Journalists, Headline and Shine
• Typically, widespread ignorance of them
• Austrian guidelines on responsible reporting of
  suicide in subway system resulted in dramatic
  fall in suicide rates

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How to increase the profile of mental health
issues?

• De-stigmatise mental health through education and
  positive mental health advertising campaigns
• Medical professionals must play a stronger role
  in speaking out for patients rights and for
  proper services
• A unified voice through a potential coalition of
  health professionals and NGOs
• Health reforms through appointment of mental
  health tzar

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From the margins to the mainstream

• Set simple objectives Trade justice, drop the
  debt, better aid
• Gathered dozens of groups together under a single
  banner
• Politicised issues by making them the centrepiece
  of G8 talks

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From the margins to the mainstream Disability

• Set simple objectives defeating disability bill,
  minimum standards, better services
• Making issues accessible human interest stories,
  high profile court cases
• Politicised issues through lobbying Opposition
  parties.
• The result? Multi-annual funding, new disability
  bill minimum care standards

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From margins to the mainstream Cancer

• Once the big C, now a major health focus of
  health reform
• Strong advocacy by the Irish Cancer Society
• Major public awareness and information campaigns,
  including use of celebrities
• Now a highly politicised issue

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The way forward?

• Media can play a crucial role in lifting stigma
  increasing profile of mental health but not
  alone
• Health professionals need to take a more active
  role
• Positive mental health campaigns to emphasize
  that these issues affected the community at large