News coverage on suicides published in brazilian news media channels

Abstract

This study analyzed how news coverage about suicides is published in the Brazilian electronic media and evaluated if the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) were complied with in the online media. This quantitative, documentary and retrospective study investigated 89 published news items about suicide in 2017 in the Brazilian newspaper sites with the largest circulation. Descriptive statistics and tests of association were used for data analysis. The majority of news items contained neither content to be avoided nor aspects recommended by the WHO. The most frequent characteristics of the reported cases do not correspond directly to the epidemiological profile of suicidal behavior, but to media interests. Actions are needed to foster media involvement in suicide prevention, dissemination of resources and strategies to support and reduce stigma and the contagion effect.