@article{ref1,
title="Suicide reporting in Swiss print media: Responsible or irresponsible?",
journal="European journal of public health",
year="1997",
author="Frey, Conrad and Michel, Konrad and Valach, Ladislav",
volume="7",
number="1",
pages="15-19",
abstract="All articles in Swiss newspapers with suicide or attempted suicide as the main topic were collected over a time span of 8 months. The aim was the investigation of a potential imitation effect and the extent of preventive messages given. A rating scheme for an assumed imitation effect based on different items for heading, text and picture was developed. The results show that approximately two-fifttis of all 151 articles were inappropriate in some aspects and were considered as bearing a high potential for imitation effect. The rating was significantly more unfavourable for the main Swiss tabloid paper than the other newspapers. A reason for suicide was specified in 41.7% of all articles, half of them in a very simple and monocausal way. Relevant preventive information was only given In 10% of cases. We conclude that media guidelines for suicide reporting are needed. A preventive strategy to influence the policy of suicide reporting in newspapers must primarily concentrate on a few papers with a high circulation (popular press).<p />",
language="",
issn="1101-1262",
doi="10.1093/eurpub/7.1.15",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/7.1.15"
}