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Menon V, Cherian AV, Ahmed F, Chongtham V, Dorji C, Gautam K, Al-Harun A, Hudha F, Jahan R, Koirala R, Noor IM, Pengpid S, Rajapakse T, Dos Santos M, Shrestha P, Soe KY, Suraweera C, Thit WMM, Armstrong G, Vijayakumar L. Challenges and priorities for suicide prevention in Southeast Asia: Insights from the Partnerships for Life regional workshop on suicide prevention. Asian J Psychiatr 2024; 98:104126. [PMID: 38941709 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajp.2024.104126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/30/2024]
Abstract
Compared to the West, suicide prevention in the Southeast Asian (SEA) region is challenging due to resource constraints, a relatively greater contribution of social compared to psychological factors, and low levels of general awareness coupled with high stigma around suicide and mental illness. Collaboration and knowledge sharing are essential to circumvent these challenges. The Partnerships for Life (PfL) initiative of the International Association of Suicide Prevention aims to enhance knowledge sharing, foster collaboration between nations, and support the development and implementation of evidence-informed approaches to suicide prevention. In February 2024, the SEA region of the PfL conducted the first regional workshop on suicide prevention, in which representatives from 10 out of 12 SEA nations participated. In this paper, we outline the key priorities, challenges, strengths, and opportunities for suicide prevention in the region with a view to inform resource-effective suicide prevention strategies that have optimal utility and uptake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vikas Menon
- Dept of Psychiatry, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, India.
| | - Anish V Cherian
- Dept of Psychiatric Social Work, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, India
| | - Farzana Ahmed
- Action on Disability and Development (ADD) International, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Virtu Chongtham
- Dept of Psychiatry, Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh, India
| | - Chencho Dorji
- Dept of Psychiatry, Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences, Bhutan
| | - Kamal Gautam
- Transcultural Psychosocial Organization Nepal (TPO Nepal), Kathmandu, Nepal and Centre for Global Mental Health Equity, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, The George Washington University, Washington D.C., USA
| | - Abdullah Al-Harun
- Action on Disability and Development (ADD) International, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | | | | | - Rishav Koirala
- Brain and Neuroscience Center (BANC) Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Isa Multazam Noor
- Dept of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, YARSI University, Jakarta, Indonesia; Child and Adolescent Mental Health Unit, Dr Soeharto Heerdjan Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Supa Pengpid
- Department of Health Education and Behavioral Sciences, Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Thilini Rajapakse
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
| | - Manuel Dos Santos
- Psychosocial Recovery and Development in East Timor (PRADET), Rua: DIT, Efacas Manleuana, Dili, Timor Leste
| | - Parbati Shrestha
- Transcultural Psychosocial Organization Nepal (TPO Nepal), Kathmandu, Nepal and Centre for Global Mental Health Equity, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, The George Washington University, Washington D.C., USA
| | | | - Chathurie Suraweera
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka
| | | | - Greg Armstrong
- Nossal Institute of Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Lakshmi Vijayakumar
- Founder SNEHA, Chennai, India; Dept of Psychiatry, Voluntary Health Services, Chennai, India; University of Melbourne, Australia
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Menon V, Kar SK, Ransing R, Sharma G, Pattnaik JI, Varadharajan N, Kaliamoorthy C, Mukherjee S, Agrawal A, Padhy SK, Arafat SMY. Long-Term Changes in the Quality of Media Reporting of Suicide Following a Celebrity Suicide in India. OMEGA-JOURNAL OF DEATH AND DYING 2023:302228231189849. [PMID: 37453041 DOI: 10.1177/00302228231189849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Online portals of selected English and local language newspapers and television channels were searched to identify suicide news reports published one year after the celebrity suicide (ACS). These reports (n = 1952) were compared with the corresponding period of the previous year, immediately following the celebrity suicide (ICS) (n = 2486), and a three-month period before the celebrity suicide (BCS) (n = 1381) to assess longitudinal changes in quality of media reporting. There was a decline in reporting of several potentially harmful characteristics over time such as mentioning the deceased's age and gender (p < .001 for both), and location of suicide (p < .001). The quality of media reporting of suicide was significantly better at one year compared to the period immediately following celebrity suicide. This change was mainly driven by an improvement in the reporting quality of English news reports while local language reports continued to remain poorly adherent to reporting guidelines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vikas Menon
- Department of Psychiatry, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, India
| | | | - Ramdas Ransing
- Department of Psychiatry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Guwahati, India
| | - Ginni Sharma
- King George's Medical University, Lucknow, India
| | | | - Natarajan Varadharajan
- Department of Psychiatry, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, India
| | - Charanya Kaliamoorthy
- Department of Psychiatry, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, India
| | | | | | - Susanta Kumar Padhy
- Department of Psychiatry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar, India
| | - S M Yasir Arafat
- Department of Psychiatry, Enam Medical College and Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh
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Kar SK, Menon V, Mukherjee S, Bascarane S, Sharma G, Pattnaik JI, Ransing R, Padhy SK, Agarwal V. Suicide reporting of LGBTQI+ population in India: An analysis of online media reports of the past decade. J Public Health (Oxf) 2023; 45:e95-e103. [PMID: 34747474 DOI: 10.1093/pubmed/fdab378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Revised: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Imbalanced portrayal of suicide by the media can have adverse public health consequences. We aimed to evaluate the psychosocial context, as well as the quality of media reporting, of suicide among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender people, queer and intersex (LGBTQI+) population. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate online news reports discussing the suicide of LGBTQI+ persons published between January 2011 and January 2021. Psychosocial factors associated with suicide were extracted from the reports. Quality of suicide reporting was checked against international as well as locally relevant reporting guidelines. RESULTS A total of 135 suicide reports from five newspapers were analyzed. Multiple psychosocial stressors were reported in 54.5% of the suicides. Social stigma was the most common factor associated with LGBTQI+ suicide. Several breaches of reporting were noted in relation to mentioning the identity (55.6%) and method of suicide (54.3%) in the title of report and inclusion of the deceased's photograph (20.4%). Potentially helpful reporting characteristics, such as including educational information (2.2%), mentioning warning signs (12.6%) and suicide support service details (3.7%), were rarely practiced. Local language news articles displayed more frequent and serious violations compared to English news reports. CONCLUSION Indian media reporting of suicide among LGBTQI+ persons is poorly adherent to reporting guidelines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sujita Kumar Kar
- Department of Psychiatry, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226003, India
| | - Vikas Menon
- Department of Psychiatry, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Pondicherry 605006, India
| | - Srijeeta Mukherjee
- Department of Psychiatry, M.K.C.G. Medical College, Brahmapur, Ganjam, Odisha 760004, India
| | - Sharmi Bascarane
- Department of Psychiatry, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Pondicherry 605006, India
| | - Ginni Sharma
- Department of Psychiatry, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226003, India
| | - Jigyansa Ipsita Pattnaik
- Department of Psychiatry, Kalinga Institute of Medical College (KIMS) KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha 751024, India
| | - Ramdas Ransing
- Department of Psychiatry, BKL Walalwalkar Rural Medical College, Ratnagiri, Maharashtra 415606, India
| | - Susanta Kumar Padhy
- Department of Psychiatry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar, Odisha 751019, India
| | - Vivek Agarwal
- Department of Psychiatry, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226003, India
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Bhatia G, Mathur R, Thakur MR. Portrayal of Suicide in Bollywood Movies Over Last Two Decades: A Content Analysis. OMEGA-JOURNAL OF DEATH AND DYING 2023:302228231161814. [PMID: 36897143 DOI: 10.1177/00302228231161814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Abstract
Aim: To analyse Bollywood movies depicting suicides, released in last two decades, on content and scientific accuracy. Methodology: Online movie databases, blogs were accessed along with Google search to compile a list of movies portraying suicide (thought, plan, or act) in at least one character. Each movie was screened twice for details of character, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and scientific accuracy of depiction. Results: Twenty-two movies were analyzed. Most characters were middle-aged, unmarried, well educated, employed and affluent. Most common motives were emotional pain and guilt/shame. Most suicides were impulsive, method of choice was fall from height and resulted in death. Conclusion: Cinematic depiction of suicide may promote misconceptions among viewers. Alignment of cinematization with scientific knowledge is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gayatri Bhatia
- Department of Psychiatry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rajkot, India
| | - Rahul Mathur
- Department of Psychiatry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Manish Roshan Thakur
- Department of Psychiatry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
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