Nigerian newspapers coverage of suicide: Assessment of adherence to WHO suicide reporting guidelines
Context: Despite an increase in research evidence on media compliance with suicide reporting guidelines globally, evidence from Nigeria seems to be relatively limited. Aim: This study assessed the prevalence of World Health Organization (WHO) helpful/harmful suicide reporting cues in suicide stories...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
2023-05-01
|
| Series: | Indian Journal of Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/indianjpsychiatry.indianjpsychiatry_537_22 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832593534569414656 |
|---|---|
| author | Ibe Ben Onoja Success Emmanuel Unekwu Ojih Patience Ojonile Onoja Nelson Monday Onoja Paul Bebenimibo Shedrack Egbunu Akor |
| author_facet | Ibe Ben Onoja Success Emmanuel Unekwu Ojih Patience Ojonile Onoja Nelson Monday Onoja Paul Bebenimibo Shedrack Egbunu Akor |
| author_sort | Ibe Ben Onoja |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Context:
Despite an increase in research evidence on media compliance with suicide reporting guidelines globally, evidence from Nigeria seems to be relatively limited.
Aim:
This study assessed the prevalence of World Health Organization (WHO) helpful/harmful suicide reporting cues in suicide stories reported by Nigerian newspapers in 2021.
Setting and Design:
The setting is the entire Nigeria and the design is descriptive.
Method:
Quantitative content analysis method was adopted and 205 online suicide-related stories from news portals of 10 purposefully selected newspapers were analyzed. The newspapers selected were among the top 20 in Nigeria and had higher circulation/coverage and considerable online presence. Evaluation framework was designed following moderated WHO guidelines.
Statistical Analysis Used:
Descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages) were used for the analysis.
Results:
The study suggested high prevalence of harmful reporting and near absence of helpful suicide reporting cues among Nigerian newspapers. Majority of the stories, 95.6% mentioned suicide in the headline; 79.5% provided details on the suicide methods employed; 66.3% offered mono-causal explanation to suicide; and 59% featured images of suicide victims and/or suicide-related graphics. Helpful reporting cues were almost nonexistence as only less than 4% of the stories traced warning signs, reported mental health experts/professionals’ opinions, featured research findings/population level statistics, and provided details on the identity/contact of suicide prevention programs/support services.
Conclusion:
Prevalence of harmful suicide-reporting practice among Nigerian Newspaper presented a gloomy future for suicide prevention in the country. There be training and motivation programs for health/crime reporters/editors on responsive media coverage of suicide following (a domesticated) WHO guidelines. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-35f0d2b99c784e42b7ce610d3520c1a1 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0019-5545 1998-3794 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Indian Journal of Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj-art-35f0d2b99c784e42b7ce610d3520c1a12025-01-20T11:20:09ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsIndian Journal of Psychiatry0019-55451998-37942023-05-0165557958510.4103/indianjpsychiatry.indianjpsychiatry_537_22Nigerian newspapers coverage of suicide: Assessment of adherence to WHO suicide reporting guidelinesIbe Ben OnojaSuccess Emmanuel Unekwu OjihPatience Ojonile OnojaNelson Monday OnojaPaul BebenimiboShedrack Egbunu AkorContext: Despite an increase in research evidence on media compliance with suicide reporting guidelines globally, evidence from Nigeria seems to be relatively limited. Aim: This study assessed the prevalence of World Health Organization (WHO) helpful/harmful suicide reporting cues in suicide stories reported by Nigerian newspapers in 2021. Setting and Design: The setting is the entire Nigeria and the design is descriptive. Method: Quantitative content analysis method was adopted and 205 online suicide-related stories from news portals of 10 purposefully selected newspapers were analyzed. The newspapers selected were among the top 20 in Nigeria and had higher circulation/coverage and considerable online presence. Evaluation framework was designed following moderated WHO guidelines. Statistical Analysis Used: Descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages) were used for the analysis. Results: The study suggested high prevalence of harmful reporting and near absence of helpful suicide reporting cues among Nigerian newspapers. Majority of the stories, 95.6% mentioned suicide in the headline; 79.5% provided details on the suicide methods employed; 66.3% offered mono-causal explanation to suicide; and 59% featured images of suicide victims and/or suicide-related graphics. Helpful reporting cues were almost nonexistence as only less than 4% of the stories traced warning signs, reported mental health experts/professionals’ opinions, featured research findings/population level statistics, and provided details on the identity/contact of suicide prevention programs/support services. Conclusion: Prevalence of harmful suicide-reporting practice among Nigerian Newspaper presented a gloomy future for suicide prevention in the country. There be training and motivation programs for health/crime reporters/editors on responsive media coverage of suicide following (a domesticated) WHO guidelines.https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/indianjpsychiatry.indianjpsychiatry_537_22harmful reportinghelpful reportingnigerian newspaperpoisoningquantitative content analysissuicide coveragewho suicide reporting guidelines |
| spellingShingle | Ibe Ben Onoja Success Emmanuel Unekwu Ojih Patience Ojonile Onoja Nelson Monday Onoja Paul Bebenimibo Shedrack Egbunu Akor Nigerian newspapers coverage of suicide: Assessment of adherence to WHO suicide reporting guidelines Indian Journal of Psychiatry harmful reporting helpful reporting nigerian newspaper poisoning quantitative content analysis suicide coverage who suicide reporting guidelines |
| title | Nigerian newspapers coverage of suicide: Assessment of adherence to WHO suicide reporting guidelines |
| title_full | Nigerian newspapers coverage of suicide: Assessment of adherence to WHO suicide reporting guidelines |
| title_fullStr | Nigerian newspapers coverage of suicide: Assessment of adherence to WHO suicide reporting guidelines |
| title_full_unstemmed | Nigerian newspapers coverage of suicide: Assessment of adherence to WHO suicide reporting guidelines |
| title_short | Nigerian newspapers coverage of suicide: Assessment of adherence to WHO suicide reporting guidelines |
| title_sort | nigerian newspapers coverage of suicide assessment of adherence to who suicide reporting guidelines |
| topic | harmful reporting helpful reporting nigerian newspaper poisoning quantitative content analysis suicide coverage who suicide reporting guidelines |
| url | https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/indianjpsychiatry.indianjpsychiatry_537_22 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ibebenonoja nigeriannewspaperscoverageofsuicideassessmentofadherencetowhosuicidereportingguidelines AT successemmanuelunekwuojih nigeriannewspaperscoverageofsuicideassessmentofadherencetowhosuicidereportingguidelines AT patienceojonileonoja nigeriannewspaperscoverageofsuicideassessmentofadherencetowhosuicidereportingguidelines AT nelsonmondayonoja nigeriannewspaperscoverageofsuicideassessmentofadherencetowhosuicidereportingguidelines AT paulbebenimibo nigeriannewspaperscoverageofsuicideassessmentofadherencetowhosuicidereportingguidelines AT shedrackegbunuakor nigeriannewspaperscoverageofsuicideassessmentofadherencetowhosuicidereportingguidelines |