preventing suicides: safe messaging & working with … · 2019-07-04 · • kate spade –june...

Better Health for All

PREVENTING SUICIDES: SAFE MESSAGING & WORKING

WITH THE NEWS MEDIA

Joy Alexiou, Public Information Officer, May 2019

Better Health for All© 2018 County of Santa Clara Health System

Why this matters

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• 2015: suicide accounted for 50% of all violent deaths in

men and 71% of all violent deaths in women.

• 2016: Nearly 45,000 suicides occurred in the United

States — more than twice the number of homicides —

making it the 10th-leading cause of death. Among

people ages 15 to 34, suicide is the second-leading

cause of death.

• 2017: suicide remained the 10th leading cause of death

in the US.

• 2017: approximately 1.4 million adults made at least

one suicide attempt.

Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)


Why this matters

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WHO identified media reporting as a priority prevention

strategy.Early identification & treatment

Training of health workers

Follow-up care & community support

Restricting access to means

Responsible media reporting

Introducing alcohol policies

Researching tech-based solutions


Why this matters

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- Change public

misperceptions and

correct myths.

- Promote awareness of

resources and the

preventability of

suicide.

- Reduce the risk of

contagion.

Reporting on suicide carefully

can:


Contagion effect is based on a

disease model. Contagion refers

to:

• When one or more suicides are

publicized in a way that contributes

to another suicide.

Additionally,

• People do not need to know each

other personally.

• Publicity can be via news

reporting, social media, etc.

• YOUTH are especially vulnerable

to clusters.

Suicide contagion is real

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An increase in suicides

following media

reporting is impacted

by:

• Frequency of

reports

• Placement of

reports

• Language used

(graphic, details,

dramatic, headlines)


RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SAFE

REPORTING

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Suicide is complex and rarely can

be attributed to a single cause. Avoid

writing that suicide is the result of

common life events like stress, job

loss, break-up, etc.

Avoid describing that a suicide had

no cause. This may reinforce the

belief that suicide is normal and

cannot be prevented.

Portraying suicide as a heroic,

romantic, or honorable act may

encourage vulnerable people to view

it more positively or lead them to

desire the positive attention garnered

by someone who has died by suicide.

www.reportingonsuicide.org

Recommendations for safe reporting: The Don’ts

http://www.reportingonsuicide.org/


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Do not describe or write the method

or location of death – may lead to

copycat.

Do not share many personal life

details of the person who died – may

lead to identification.

Avoid portraying suicide as a

common response to life’s hardships.

And the use or overuse of certain

data can normalize the problem of

suicide.

Avoid speculation, it is too

complicated of a problem to

speculate about it.

Recommendations for safe reporting: More Don’ts


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Explain the complexity of suicide.

Most people who die by suicide

exhibit warning signs. Include the

warning signs in the sidebar of

the story whenever possible.

Try to present a balanced story

on the person.

Limit the details to facts the

audience needs to know.

Include resources like hotlines,

crisis text and websites.

Recommendations for safe reporting: The Dos


Recommendations for safe reporting

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The work we do includes:

• Safe message trainings for news

organizations and community

members.

• Analysis of stories and Rapid

Response, primarily to local

reporters.

• Testing going into newsrooms to

provide recommendations. NBC Bay

Area to be scheduled in May.

Note: I have seen really good comments from the public about online

stories. Now that you have the recommendations, you can help by

weighing in when a reporter strays.


MEDIA ANALYSIS

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Media Analysis

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• Pilot conducted in June 2018.

• Analyzed 226 articles on suicide.

• Developed novel coding instrument:• Based on safe messaging guidelines;

• 10 characteristics; and,

• Rated each article from 10-50.


Media Analysis

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Article Characteristics Local Media

Terminology 4.76

Photo/video 4.13

Most recent data 3.46

Report on suicide as public health issue 3.39

Spokespeople quoted 3.24

Method 3.22

Titles 3.17

Suicide Note 3.11

Resources/Numbers 1.93

Warning Signs/What to Do 1.28


Media Analysis

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Overall Findings

The media overall does not fully comply with

safe messaging guidelines.

National media does not have a higher average

total score of compliance than local media.

Worth continuing media analysis, which lead to

…


Rapid response to media stories on suicide

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Email reporters and news organizations about their stories:

1. If the story meet all safe reporting recommendations: Acknowledge and

thank.

2. If the story met one or two of the safe reporting recommendations (partial

message below): thank for the best practice, offer other recommendations.

3. If the story did not meet any of the safe reporting recommendations:

emphasize the recommendations and the risk.

Thank you for covering this important topic. All of us – medical professionals, reporters and news

organizations, as well as members of the general public – have an important role in preventing suicides. I

appreciate that you included suicide and crisis resources in your story. There are a few other

recommendations to keep in mind:

• The reasons why suicides happen are complex and not always clear.

• For vulnerable and at-risk individuals, the content and volume of media coverage can be factors

that lead to more suicidal behavior.

• Do not provide the details of a suicide, e.g. the method used for suicide, or details of a suicide note.

• Use language that helps to reduce stigma around mental health issues. People "die by suicide" or

“completed suicide,” not "commit suicide." The word “commit” relates to committing a crime or sin.

When also used with suicide, this word adds to the stigma around mental health.

We always attach information about Safe Reporting on Suicides as a

reference.


Activity

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Three stories:

Write down what safe reporting recommendations were

followed.

What went against the recommendations?

What recommendations are missing?

Discussion:

What would you say to the reporter about this story?


CASE STUDY

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Suicides & Media

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The situationIn less than a week there were two celebrity deaths by suicide and a CDC report on the

increase in suicide rates in the US.

• Kate Spade – June 5, 2018

• In between, CDC issues report on US suicide rates.

• Anthony Bourdain – June 8, 2018

The concern

• Stories on Spade provided details (hanging, red scarf, suicide note). By Bourdain’s suicide,

the detail that he also hanged himself appeared only in early stories, but the fear was he

may have been an early “copycat”.

• Research and data show that extensive news coverage and details of a suicide increase

likelihood of copycat suicides.

• The only celebrity suicide previously studied showed suicides in the US rose 10% after

Robin William’s death by suicide (2014).

CDC data showed 18,690 deaths by suicide for the four months following William’s death. Significantly more than the 16,849

from past data and trends.


Strategies

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• Local news media: the recommendations and the

importance of safe reporting.

• Social media sites: post to increase awareness of

available resources and what action people can take to

prevent suicides.

• Partners: ask for help.

Resources• For those who may be vulnerable or at-risk, provide the crisis hotline:

1-855-278-4204

• For community: promote trainings and knowing the signs.

• Play an important role in preventing suicides, trainings can be found

at www.sccbhsd.org/suicideprevention

• Know the Signs – suicideispreventable.org

http://www.sccbhsd.org/suicideprevention


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Media

• Develop talking points and

emphasize resources.

• Respond to request for interviews

with Behavioral Health experts –

Suicide Prevention Program

Manager. Note: PIO did one interview when

no one else was available.

• Issue news release to encourage

safe reporting, attached training

document and recommendations.

• Follow-up with reporters working on

stories.

• Talk to the Mercury News about an

editorial on the topic.

Tactics


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Digital & Social Media

• Post to internal and external

websites (news release and opinion

editorial).

• Screen saver on Health System

desktops with hotline number.

• Develop post for social media,

distribute to Health System social

media sites.

Partners

• Provide post to County and other

partners and ask them to post too

(thank you!).

• Respond to community posting,

provide hotline or other resources.

Tactics


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Media Coverage

• KTVU and Mercury News covered the

CDC report and the suicides. Other

news agencies requested interviews

regarding suicides.

• Media coverage of CDC report help

frame suicides with a broader view of

the issue.

• KTVU’s first story on Spade did not

follow recommendations. Subsequent

stories improved and included

resources and the role of the news

media. Note: KTVU reporter pushed

back on media and contagion effect

but came around.

• Local stories all included the hotline

number.

• Powerful editorial with call to action.

Results


Results

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Behavioral Health Social Media

• Facebook views increased 29%. Page likes increased 9%.

• Boosted Clendaniel opinion column – reach increased 148%.


Results

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Suicide & Crisis Hotline had a 25% increase in calls

following the celebrity suicides (average before the

suicides was 750 per week).

Outreach and promotion of the hotline # supported

getting more people to seek help.

Still waiting on US, California and Santa Clara County data

on suicides in the four months after the 2018 celebrity deaths.


On this topic:

• Previously held a “get to know you” session with Ed Clendaniel which helped

facilitate the editorial discussion.

• Quick message approval is critical. This news release was approved quickly,

given the topic.

• Need to regularly send reminders to reporter: semi-annually at a minimum.

• Get information distributed with the first suicide that is generating a lot of media

coverage.

Lessons Learned

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In general:

• Starting with a news release (or any write-up) provides most of the content

needed for other communications.

• Having relationships helps, and get partners information as early as possible.

• Ask for help.

• Develop a check list of distribution steps/considerations.

• Consider online training for the news media, and/or visits to a newsroom meeting

(go to them).


News Stories

Feedback to reporters: make it positive and instructive.

• Remind reporters of the significance of these stories, and to follow the

recommendations to help those who are vulnerable and at-risk.

• Thank those who follow the recommendations. If the story meets the

recommendations, share on social media.

You can help save lives

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Trainings

Question Persuade Refer: training covers how to ask questions and

persuade someone in crisis to seek help, and refer them to resources.

This one is free to anyone 18 and older who lives in SCC, and online

training is available.

Youth Mental Health First Aid: teaches a 5-step action plan to offer

initial help to young people showing signs of crisis or mental illness, and

how to connect them to help. Also free.


New support for suicide prevention

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QUESTIONS? COMMENTS?

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preventing suicides: safe messaging & working with … · 2019-07-04 · • kate spade –june...

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