Media representation of methamphetamine-related deaths: Exploring links to public stigma and support for harm reduction

IF 4.4 2区医学 Q1 SUBSTANCE ABUSE

International Journal of Drug Policy Pub Date : 2025-09-05 DOI:10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.104980

Steph Kershaw , Jessica Deng , Georgette Borel , Siobhan O’Dean , Jack Wilson , Louise Birrell , Katrina Prior , Marlee Bower , Amelia Henry , Emma K. Devine , Matthew Sunderland , Harry Sumnall , Cath Chapman

{"title":"Media representation of methamphetamine-related deaths: Exploring links to public stigma and support for harm reduction","authors":"Steph Kershaw , Jessica Deng , Georgette Borel , Siobhan O’Dean , Jack Wilson , Louise Birrell , Katrina Prior , Marlee Bower , Amelia Henry , Emma K. Devine , Matthew Sunderland , Harry Sumnall , Cath Chapman","doi":"10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.104980","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Drug-related deaths are a significant and growing public health concern. In Australia, meth/amphetamine is the most common stimulant drug involved in unintentional drug-related deaths. People who use meth/amphetamine often experience stigma and are negatively portrayed in the media. Considering the influence of media on public attitudes, which in turn influences policy, this study aimed to examine the relationships between media representations of drug-related deaths and stigma towards the people who use drugs along with attitudes towards harm reduction policy.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Nationally representative sample of Australians (N = 1490) participated in an online experimental study where they were randomised to one of eight simulated news stories depicting a drug-related death. Each news story varied by drug type (methamphetamine or alternative stimulant (MDMA, ‘ecstasy’)), age of the character depicted (younger or older), and gender of the character depicted (female or male). Stigma towards the character depicted and support for harm reduction was assessed. Data were analysed using MANOVA.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Among the sample (average age = 48.5 years (SD 17.73); 54.7% female). Stigma was higher towards depictions of older people compared to younger people (p < .001) and those who had used methamphetamine compared to MDMA (p < .001). No significant main effects on support for harm reduction were found.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Certain characteristics in news stories about drug-related deaths elicit higher stigma towards the depicted person. Thus, improving how the media report and frame drug-related deaths represents an important avenue to reduce stigma towards people who use drugs and in turn foster public support for evidence-based drug policies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48364,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Drug Policy","volume":"145 ","pages":"Article 104980"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4000,"publicationDate":"2025-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"International Journal of Drug Policy","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0955395925002762","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"SUBSTANCE ABUSE","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

Drug-related deaths are a significant and growing public health concern. In Australia, meth/amphetamine is the most common stimulant drug involved in unintentional drug-related deaths. People who use meth/amphetamine often experience stigma and are negatively portrayed in the media. Considering the influence of media on public attitudes, which in turn influences policy, this study aimed to examine the relationships between media representations of drug-related deaths and stigma towards the people who use drugs along with attitudes towards harm reduction policy.

Methods

Nationally representative sample of Australians (N = 1490) participated in an online experimental study where they were randomised to one of eight simulated news stories depicting a drug-related death. Each news story varied by drug type (methamphetamine or alternative stimulant (MDMA, ‘ecstasy’)), age of the character depicted (younger or older), and gender of the character depicted (female or male). Stigma towards the character depicted and support for harm reduction was assessed. Data were analysed using MANOVA.

Results

Among the sample (average age = 48.5 years (SD 17.73); 54.7% female). Stigma was higher towards depictions of older people compared to younger people (p < .001) and those who had used methamphetamine compared to MDMA (p < .001). No significant main effects on support for harm reduction were found.

Conclusion

Certain characteristics in news stories about drug-related deaths elicit higher stigma towards the depicted person. Thus, improving how the media report and frame drug-related deaths represents an important avenue to reduce stigma towards people who use drugs and in turn foster public support for evidence-based drug policies.

查看原文本刊更多论文

媒体报道与甲基苯丙胺有关的死亡：探讨与公众污名和支持减少伤害的联系

背景：与毒品有关的死亡是一个日益严重的公共卫生问题。在澳大利亚，甲基苯丙胺/安非他明是与毒品有关的意外死亡中最常见的兴奋剂。使用甲基苯丙胺/安非他明的人经常遭受耻辱，并在媒体上被负面描述。考虑到媒体对公众态度的影响，而公众态度又反过来影响政策，本研究旨在研究媒体对毒品相关死亡的报道与对吸毒者的污名以及对减少伤害政策的态度之间的关系。方法具有全国代表性的澳大利亚人样本（N = 1490）参加了一项在线实验研究，他们被随机分配到八个模拟新闻故事中的一个，这些新闻故事描述了与毒品有关的死亡。每个新闻故事都因毒品类型（甲基苯丙胺或替代兴奋剂（MDMA，“摇头丸”））、人物年龄（年轻或年长）和人物性别（女性或男性）而异。对所描绘的人物的污名和对减少伤害的支持进行了评估。数据分析采用方差分析。结果样本中平均年龄48.5岁（SD 17.73）；54.7%的女性)。与年轻人相比（p < .001），对老年人的描述的耻辱感更高，而那些使用过甲基苯丙胺的人与使用过MDMA的人相比（p < .001）。对减少伤害的支持没有发现显著的主要影响。结论与毒品有关的死亡新闻报道的某些特征会引起人们对所描述的人更高的耻辱感。因此，改进媒体报道和描述与毒品有关的死亡的方式，是减少对吸毒者的污名化，进而促进公众支持循证药物政策的重要途径。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

International Journal of Drug Policy SUBSTANCE ABUSE-

CiteScore

7.80

自引率

11.40%

发文量

307

审稿时长

62 days

期刊介绍： The International Journal of Drug Policy provides a forum for the dissemination of current research, reviews, debate, and critical analysis on drug use and drug policy in a global context. It seeks to publish material on the social, political, legal, and health contexts of psychoactive substance use, both licit and illicit. The journal is particularly concerned to explore the effects of drug policy and practice on drug-using behaviour and its health and social consequences. It is the policy of the journal to represent a wide range of material on drug-related matters from around the world.