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Exploring stigmatization in digital newspaper coverage of substance use disorder
Yasemin Bilişli1, İlkay Keser2, Ali Erdoğan3
1Department of Office Services and Secretariat, Social Sciences Vocational School, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Türkiye.
News coverage often stigmatizes substance use disorder (SUD), hindering treatment. Most articles negatively portray SUD, with nearly 70% containing stigmatizing content and few offering solutions.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Media Studies
- Sociology
Background:
- Substance use disorder (SUD) is a global health crisis.
- Social stigma deters individuals with SUD from seeking treatment.
- Mass media significantly influences public perception of SUD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze news narratives for stigmatizing attitudes towards substance use disorder (SUD).
- To assess the portrayal of SUD in top national digital newspapers.
Main Methods:
- Quantitative and retrospective content analysis of 753 news articles from top national digital newspapers in 2022.
- Statistical analysis using SPSS 26.0.
Main Results:
- The majority of articles (69.7%) contained stigmatizing content.
- Over half (53.1%) negatively impacted the social lives of individuals with SUD.
- A significant portion (44.1%) reinforced dangerous perceptions of SUD.
- News agencies dominated sources, and only 11% offered solutions.
Conclusions:
- News media frequently perpetuates stigma surrounding substance use disorder (SUD).
- There is a critical need for more empathetic and solution-oriented news coverage.
- Promoting help-seeking behavior and advocating for effective solutions in media is recommended.
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