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News coverage influenced suicide clusters in young people

Results from a retrospective, population-based, case-control study demonstrate newspaper coverage of suicide is associated with the initiation of teenage suicide clusters.

Researchers examined mortality data for each suicide that occurred from 1988 to 1996 among young people aged 13 to 20 years. Data were obtained from the 48 mainland state health departments.

A suicide cluster was defined by researchers as any suicide(s) occurring within 3 months of an initial suicide within the city or town of the incident or residence. Each cluster (n=48) was matched with two non-cluster control communities (n=95) based on similarly aged suicides occurring in counties within the same state as, but not adjacent to, the suicide cluster. For one cluster, only one matched control was available.

Researchers studied community newspapers for mention of suicide and identified a mean 3.42 papers per cluster and 3.21 per non-cluster community. They found that more newspaper articles in the cluster communities included details on suicidal individuals compared with those in non-cluster communities (median of four vs. three).

A greater proportion of newspaper articles published after the first suicide cluster had accompanying pictures and significantly more details about the individual, including name of school and suicide method, compared with non-cluster suicide articles.

“… Our findings point to the importance for future media analyses of differentiating between general information or conversations about suicide, and reports about the completed suicide of a specific, non-fictional individual that might serve as a model for future suicidal behavior,” the researchers concluded.

Disclosure: The researchers reported no relevant financial disclosures.