Catherine Francis

On-Screen Portrayals of Mental Illness: Extent, Nature, and Impacts

This article reviews the published literature on the extent, nature, and impacts of portrayal of mental illness in fictional films and television programs. The literature suggests that on-screen portrayals are frequent and generally negative, and have a cumulative effect on the publics perception of people with mental illness and on the likelihood of people with mental illness seeking appropriate help. The article concludes that there is a need for the mental health sector and the film and television industries to collaborate to counter negative portrayals of mental illness, and to explore the potential for positive portrayals to educate and inform, as well as to entertain.

Reporting of suicide in the Australian media

Objective: The media monitoring project aimed to establish a baseline picture of the extent, nature and quality of reporting of suicide by the Australian media, with a view to informing future strategies intended to optimize reporting of suicide. Method: Newspaper, television and radio items on suicide were retrieved over 12 months. Identifying and descriptive information were extracted for each item. Approximately 10% of items were rated for quality, using a rating scale based on criteria from Achieving the Balance, a kit designed to promote awareness among media professionals of issues relating to suicide. The scale ranged from 0 (poor quality) to 100 (good quality). Results: Reporting of suicide was extensive (with 4813 items retrieved). The nature of reporting was variable. Items tended to be about completed suicide (rather than attempted suicide or suicidal ideation), and most commonly involved content related to an individuals experiences, policy/programme initiatives and/or suicide statistics, although there were differences across media types. Items showed variability across dimensions of quality. The majority of suicide items did not have examples of inappropriate language, were not inappropriately located, did not use the word ‘suicide’ in the headline, and did not use explicit photographs/diagrams or footage. However, around half of the suicide items provided a detailed discussion of the method of self-harm and portrayed suicide as merely a social phenomenon. Where items concerned the suicide of a celebrity, reference was commonly made to that persons celebrity status. Most items failed to provide information on help services. The median total quality score was 57.1%. Conclusions: The reporting of suicide is extensive across all media types, and varies in nature and quality. In general, good items outnumber poorer items. However, there are still opportunities for improving media reporting of suicide.

Remunerating private psychiatrists for participating in case conferences.

BackgroundOn 1 November 2000, a series of new item numbers was added to the Medicare Benefits Schedule, which allowed for case conferences between physicians (including psychiatrists) and other multidisciplinary providers. On 1 November 2002, an additional set of numbers was added, designed especially for use by psychiatrists. This paper reports the findings of an evaluation of these item numbers.ResultsThe uptake of the item numbers in the three years post their introduction was low to moderate at best. Eighty nine psychiatrists rendered 479 case conferences at a cost to the Health Insurance Commission of

The relationship between media reporting of suicide and actual suicide in Australia

70,584. Psychiatrists who have used the item numbers are generally positive about them, as are consumers. Psychiatrists who have not used them have generally not done so because of a lack of knowledge, rather than direct opposition. The use of the item numbers is increasing over time, perhaps as psychiatrists become more aware of their existence and of their utility in maximising quality of care.ConclusionThe case conferencing item numbers have potential, but as yet this potential is not being realised. Some small changes to the conditions associated with the use of the item numbers could assist their uptake.