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Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 3/2010

01-03-2010 | Original Paper

Effect of media reporting of the suicide of a singer in Taiwan: the case of Ivy Li

Authors: Ying-Yeh Chen, Pei-Chen Tsai, Pao-Huan Chen, Chun-Chieh Fan, Galen Chin-Lun Hung, Andrew T. A. Cheng

Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology | Issue 3/2010

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Abstract

Background

Suicide attempters are known to be vulnerable to the influence of media reporting of suicide events. This study investigates possible influences of media reporting of a celebrity suicide on subsequent suicide attempts and associated risk factors among suicide attempters.

Methods

Sixty-three suicide attempters registered in a surveillance system of Taipei City Suicide Prevention Center were assessed using a structured interview soon after media reporting of the suicide of a young female singing star.

Results

Forty-three (68%) respondents had encountered with the suicide news. Among them, 37% reported being influenced by the media reporting on their subsequent suicide attempts. Men (adjusted OR 6.36, 95% CI 1.29–31.44) and younger age groups (adjusted OR 4.93, 95% CI 1.04–23.45) were more susceptible to the media reporting. There was a positive modeling effect in method of suicide (charcoal burning) (adjusted OR 7.27, 95% CI 6.31–168.66).

Conclusions

This study has provided further evidence for suicide imitation among vulnerable people encountered with media reporting of celebrity suicide, and for the need to actively restrain reporting of suicides to decrease the imitation effect.
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Metadata
Title
Effect of media reporting of the suicide of a singer in Taiwan: the case of Ivy Li
Authors
Ying-Yeh Chen
Pei-Chen Tsai
Pao-Huan Chen
Chun-Chieh Fan
Galen Chin-Lun Hung
Andrew T. A. Cheng
Publication date
01-03-2010
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology / Issue 3/2010
Print ISSN: 0933-7954
Electronic ISSN: 1433-9285
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-009-0075-8

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