O papel dos media na prevenção do suicídio

Abstract

Introduction: According to the World Health Organization, suicide is the 13th leading cause of death in the world. As such, suicide has serious consequences for society, and thus its prevention should be a priority in public health. Currently, the media are very relevant in our daily lives and can have a huge impact on suicide. Methods: With the goal of identifying in what way the media might have a role in suicide prevention, we performed a bibliographical research on MEDLINE database, relative to papers published in the last ten years. Results: It is fundamental that the media, while reporting suicide cases, know how to do so safely. In that way, WHO has created recommendations for professionals in that area. Despite that, the efficiency of such measures is not yet clear. Besides, suicide prevention campaigns are gaining popularity. However, its effect is not fully established. Internet use has been growing exponentially, offering a huge intervention opportunity for suicide prevention, but this is a relatively new subject that will bring future challenges. Conclusion: Further studies regarding this subject are required, in order to comprehend and optimize the role that media can play in preventing suicide. As such, doctors and communication professionals will need to work together to promote changes in the way suicide is viewed in our society and decrease the number of deaths caused by suicides.