Management of suicide in the press
Report of four cases
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.16925/2145-9649.2020.01.05Keywords:
Suicidio, Prensa, Organización Mundial de la SaludAbstract
Objective: to analyze the report of four cases of suicides, published in a newspaper of massive circulation in the Colombian Atlantic Coast.
Methods: Thorough a review of the first four news of the year published on cases of suicide in 2012 was carried out in El Heraldo. The journalistic notes were taken from the historic archive of the Department of the Atlantic and photographed for reading and analysis by researchers and contrasted with the recommendations of the World Health Organization against suicide in the media.
Results and Discussion: None of the four articles complies with the recommendations of the World Health Organization. All inform about the deceased's personal data and provide details that could prompt other people to commit suicide. The journalistic notes are accompanied by photographic material that provides sensationalism and in no case promote mental health or the prevention of suicide.
Conclusions: The management given to cases of suicide is far from an ideal in which the prevention of suicide should be promoted instead of magnifying the cases occurred through details that do not contribute to the mental health of the community.
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