Between Guidelines and Headlines - Analysis of Newspapers Reporting of Suicide in Saudi Arabia

Objectives: Media plays a crucial role in shaping perceptions of suicide; however, little is known about the extent to which Saudi newspapers adhere to the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for responsible suicide reporting. This study aims to assess the adherence of Saudi newspapers to WHO recommendations and identify harmful and helpful reporting practices. Methods: A content analysis was conducted on 471 suicide-related news articles from five major Saudi newspapers (2010-2024). Each report was evaluated for harmful elements, such as graphic details of methods used, and helpful elements, such as mental health information or hotline details. Results: The findings showed significant variability in adherence to WHO guidelines. Harmful practices included mentioning the method of suicide in 85.4% of reports, describing the method in 21.4%, and specifying the location in 81.3%. The age of those who died by suicide was disclosed in 63.5% of cases, and nationality in 70.1%. In contrast, helpful reporting practices were rare, with only 3.2% of reports mentioning warning signs and 0.8% including expert opinions. Limitations: The study only analyzed online newspaper content and did not assess audience impact. Conclusion: These findings highlight the urgent need to promote and implement media coverage guidelines, whether locally developed or based on existing WHO recommendations, in Saudi Arabia. However, this study is limited to online newspaper content and does not assess audience impact.