A study helps in raising awareness amongst journalists when covering the mental health of veterans

Video by Alisha Chauhan

Multimedia by Mariyah Salhia

By Poline Nasri

The Veteran Media Analysis Study focuses on raising the journalist’s awareness when reporting on the mental health of Canadian veterans. 

Robert Whitley, PhD, a principal investigator of the Social Psychiatry Research and Interest Group at the Douglas Hospital Research Center; also an assistant professor at McGill’s psychiatry department. 

Whitley said that the analysis of the research indicates that the media tends to portray mental health issues negatively from 2005 to 2010. 

The Veteran Suicide Mortality Study (VSMS) done by Veteran Affairs Canada, found that male veterans overall had 1.4 times higher risk of dying by suicide versus the general male population in Canada. Additionally, female veterans overall were 1.9 times at a higher risk versus the general female population in Canada.

Purpose of the study:

The study educates journalists on how to responsibly report on sensitive issues like suicide and mental health.

“We aim to develop some similar resources, develop some guidelines, do some lectures at journalism schools. Develop an online course all focused on veterans, veterans mental health,” Whitley said. 

ThingLink: Canadian media and veterans. Text continues after interactive.

Whitley mentioned resources for Canadian journalists covering mental health issues such as Mindset: Reporting on Mental Health,. For instance, journalists need to remove the idea that people with mental illness are more likely to be dangerous and violent. They need to listen to them and tell their stories precisely, yet carefully.

Steven Ye, works at the Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada, said in an interview how the media focuses on the negatives when reporting on veterans. He said that people don’t hear about the victories and recoveries of veterans. 

“Veterans as a whole, don’t get a lot of media coverage. Sadly, a lot of that does tend to become dominated by these specific incidents where a tragedy or some act of violence has occurred. It’s just very heartbreaking,” Ye said.