[Media coverage on suicide in Nuremberg's daily papers--frequency and form of the reporting before and during media-intervention with guidelines].
BACKGROUND
As one of its suicide preventive actions, the "Nuremberg Alliance Against Depression" has started cooperation with local media in 2001 by implementing a 14-item-mediaguide concerning a more sensible way of suicide-reporting to prevent copy-cat suicides. The effects of this mediaguide on the reporting are being evaluated.


METHODS
A systematic recording of all suicide reports during 2000 (Baseline) and 2001 (first intervention year) was performed for three regional dailies in Nuremberg. A comparison of the reporting regarding the frequency, distribution and some qualitative aspects between baseline and intervention year as well as to a control-medium from Würzburg was carried out.


RESULTS
Two out of three dailies in Nuremberg show a noticeable reduction in the numbers of articles on suicides. Compared to the baseline and control-medium one of the decreases is statistically significant. The results of the third newspaper, however, indicated an opposite direction, stating a significant increase in the number of reports.


CONCLUSIONS
Crucial criterion for a mediaguide's favourable influence on the suicide-reporting is the willingness of the main editors in charge at the local dailies to be engaged and willing to cooperate. This can be achieved only through good personal contact and relationship to the project.
Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München. rita.schaefer@med.uni-muenchen.de
Rita
R
Schäfer
David
D
Althaus
Hans-Bernd
HB
Brosius
Ulrich
U
Hegerl
D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D035081:Editorial Policies; D004995:Ethics, Professional / Q000193:education; D005858:Germany; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007100:Imitative Behavior / Q000941:ethics; D020452:Journalism / Q000941:ethics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008432:Mathematical Computing; D009524:Newspapers as Topic / Q000941:ethics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000092864:Suicide Prevention