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International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction

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24-06-2022 | Original Article

Does Online Newsmedia Portrayal of Substance Use and Persons with Substance Misuse Endorse Stigma? A Qualitative Study from India

Authors: Abhishek Ghosh, Chandrima Naskar, Nidhi Sharma, Fazl-e-Roub, Shinjini Choudhury, Aniruddha Basu, Renjith R. Pillai, Debasish Basu, S. K. Mattoo

Published in: International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction | Issue 6/2022

Abstract

Media provides and shapes public knowledge, perceptions, and attitude towards people with substance misuse. We aimed to explore the content and specific themes of Indian online news articles on substance use or persons with substance misuse. We followed an exploratory qualitative design to analyze online news media reports published between July 1 2020 and June 30 2021. Hundred articles met the selection criteria. Our content analysis was based on a checklist. Thematic analysis was done by the coding, categorization, and theme generation after meticulous data immersion and triangulation. Sixty percent of articles had pessimistic headlines and portrayed substance use or persons with substance use negatively. Fifty-one percent articles were on alcohol. Twenty-seven percent articles focussed supply reduction, whereas only 5% positively discussed the role of treatment. We identified seven themes. Most frequent themes were legal-criminal aspects of substance use (n = 39), psychosocial and health hazards of substance use (n = 30), and propagation of public stigma (n = 25). Two other prevalent themes were the business and marketing of alcohol (n = 20) and sociocultural aspects of substance use (n = 9). The theme, treatment strategy, appeared in only five articles. There is an urgent need for media guidelines for responsible reporting of substance misuse. We suggested a set of recommendations for media reporting.

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Title: Does Online Newsmedia Portrayal of Substance Use and Persons with Substance Misuse Endorse Stigma? A Qualitative Study from India
Authors: Abhishek Ghosh
Chandrima Naskar
Nidhi Sharma
Fazl-e-Roub
Shinjini Choudhury
Aniruddha Basu
Renjith R. Pillai
Debasish Basu
S. K. Mattoo
Publication date: 24-06-2022
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction / Issue 6/2022
Print ISSN: 1557-1874
Electronic ISSN: 1557-1882
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-022-00859-1

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Does Online Newsmedia Portrayal of Substance Use and Persons with Substance Misuse Endorse Stigma? A Qualitative Study from India

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