Preventing suicide by improving media reporting of suicide in South Asia

Project Details

Irresponsible media reporting of suicide has been shown to be associated with increases in suicide rates, including in low-resource settings. Improving media reporting of suicide in low-resource settings is appealing as a low-cost population-level intervention. This research aims to address international evidence gaps around this intervention in low-resource settings in the Asia-Pacific region, by generating robust knowledge, guidance and resources. It draws on a mix of methodologies, including qualitative research, media content analyses, laboratory experiments onthe effects of exposure to media content, co-design of culturally adapted media guidance, and trials of the population-level effects of introducing this intervention in low-resource settings.

We have a wide range of collaborators based across Southeast Asia. For example, in India we work closely with the National Institute for Mental Health and Neurosciences (in Bangalore), SNEHA Suicide Prevention Centre (in Chennai) and Samarth (an NGO research group, also in Chennai), and have partnered with the Ministry of Health in the State Government of Chhattisgarh. Beyond India, we are collaborating with TPO Nepal (the leading mental health NGO in that country), the Ministry of Health in Malaysia, as well as with specific researchers from across the region.

Researchers

Associate Professor Greg Armstrong (Project Lead)
g.armstrong@unimelb.edu.au

Funding

National Health and Medical Research Council (Investigator Grant awarded to Gregory Armstrong) and American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.