Citation

Whitley R, Carmichael V. J. Mil. Veteran Fam. Health 2022; 8(1): 68-78.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, University of Toronto Press)

DOI

10.3138/JMVFH-2021-0060

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Evidence suggests the media plays an important role in shaping public beliefs and attitudes toward societal issues including mental illness, suicide, and Veterans' issues. There is a lack of research examining media portrayals of these issues in Canada. The present study aims to assess the tone and content of media coverage of the Lionel Desmond murder-suicide by: 1) assessing adherence to reporting recommendations for suicide and mental illness in Canadian newspaper articles and 2) documenting and analyzing common themes and narratives contained in these articles.

METHODS: All articles mentioning the term "Lionel Desmond" were systematically retrieved from over 40 Canadian newspapers throughout 2017 and coded for the presence or absence of key content characteristics using quantitative and qualitative methods.

RESULTS: Analysis revealed over half of the articles (65.2%) described the suicide method used by Desmond and almost all (98.5%) failed to provide help-seeking information for readers. Moreover, 89% of articles did not include quotes by mental health experts and 64% did not feature any Veteran voices in their coverage. The qualitative analysis revealed four commonly occurring themes: 1) negative impact of going to war, 2) challenges of transition from military to civilian life, 3) calls to action, and 4) commemorating the life of Desmond and family.

DISCUSSION: Taken together, the results indicate room for improvement in the reporting of Veteran mental health and suicide, suggesting a need for more educational resources and outreach to help Canadian journalists responsibly report these issues. © 2022 University of Toronto Press. All Rights Reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

media; newspaper; Canada; mental health; suicide; PTSD; military; stigma; Veterans; posttraumatic stress disorder; Lionel Desmond