Historique
Article de Périodique
Effects of media representations of drug related deaths on public stigma and support for harm reduction (2023)
Auteur(s) :
SUMNALL, H. R. ;
ATKINSON, A. ;
MONTGOMERY, C. ;
MAYNARD, O. ;
NICHOLLS, J.
Année :
2023
Page(s) :
art. 103909
Langue(s) :
Anglais
Domaine :
Drogues illicites / Illicit drugs
Thésaurus géographique
ROYAUME-UNI
Thésaurus mots-clés
MORTALITE
;
MEDIA
;
OPINION
;
STIGMATISATION
;
REPRESENTATION SOCIALE
;
HEROINE
;
ENQUETE
;
REDUCTION DES RISQUES ET DES DOMMAGES
Résumé :
Background: Drug related deaths (DRD) are at historically high levels in the United Kingdom (UK), but some approaches that have the potential to reduce risk of mortality remain controversial. Public support makes an important contribution to drug policy development but there are high levels of public stigma towards people who use drugs (PWUD), and this is partly shaped by media representations. We investigated whether depiction of the characteristics of decedents represented in news articles about DRD was associated with differences in stigmatising attitudes and support for harm reduction policy.
Methods: We undertook a cross-sectional online study with a randomised design, conducted with a nationally representative sample (UK). Participants (N = 1280) were randomly presented with one of eight simulated news stories that reported on a DRD that differed with respect to drug (ecstasy or heroin), and the gender (male or female) and age (younger or older) of the decedent. Data were analysed using MANOVA.
Results: Data were obtained for 1248 participants (51.0% female; mean age 45.7±15.4). Stigma was higher towards depictions of male, older, and heroin deaths (all p < .001). Harm reduction support was higher in those participants seeing older compared to younger subjects (p = .035), and the older ecstasy decedent compared to younger decedent (p = .029).
Conclusion: Presentation of some types of DRD are associated with higher public stigma towards the decedent than others. Those groups developing agenda-setting activities designed to reduce stigma or foster public support for harm reduction policies should consider the different ways in which audiences may respond to the depiction and framing of DRD in news media.
Highlights:
• Deaths related to heroin use are under presented in UK news media.
• Greater compassion is shown in reports of some drugs deaths compared to others.
• Higher public stigma is expressed towards depictions of older and male decedents.
• Lower stigma is shown towards ecstasy compared to heroin decedents.
• Depictions of older deaths is associated with greater support for harm reduction.
Methods: We undertook a cross-sectional online study with a randomised design, conducted with a nationally representative sample (UK). Participants (N = 1280) were randomly presented with one of eight simulated news stories that reported on a DRD that differed with respect to drug (ecstasy or heroin), and the gender (male or female) and age (younger or older) of the decedent. Data were analysed using MANOVA.
Results: Data were obtained for 1248 participants (51.0% female; mean age 45.7±15.4). Stigma was higher towards depictions of male, older, and heroin deaths (all p < .001). Harm reduction support was higher in those participants seeing older compared to younger subjects (p = .035), and the older ecstasy decedent compared to younger decedent (p = .029).
Conclusion: Presentation of some types of DRD are associated with higher public stigma towards the decedent than others. Those groups developing agenda-setting activities designed to reduce stigma or foster public support for harm reduction policies should consider the different ways in which audiences may respond to the depiction and framing of DRD in news media.
Highlights:
• Deaths related to heroin use are under presented in UK news media.
• Greater compassion is shown in reports of some drugs deaths compared to others.
• Higher public stigma is expressed towards depictions of older and male decedents.
• Lower stigma is shown towards ecstasy compared to heroin decedents.
• Depictions of older deaths is associated with greater support for harm reduction.
Affiliation :
Public Health Institute, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
School of Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
School of Psychological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
Faculty of Health Sciences and Sport, University of Stirling, UK
School of Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
School of Psychological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
Faculty of Health Sciences and Sport, University of Stirling, UK
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