TEEN SUICIDE 2
Teen Suicide
Week 6 Assignment
Lindsay Ann Abrigo
June 14, 2014
MPH 588 – Marketing in Public Health
Dr. Leanne Pounds
Who is the target audience, and what are they like? What action should they take – and what are they doing now?
The target audience for this campaign includes Hawaiian boys aged 15 to 18 residing in Honolulu. These boys have not or do not report suicide attempts. In fact, the IPCS (2013) reports that males are less likely to report attempting suicide when compared to females. This particular audience has not or does not communicate suicidal thoughts or actions and has made a plan about how to attempt suicide. According to a Youth Risk Behavior Survey, Hawaii teens were found to be more likely to make a plan about how they would attempt suicide when compared to the United States (CDC, 2011). In addition, these teenage boys may have been diagnosed with or have a family history or mental illness and have experienced some type of negative life event. This campaign seeks to encourage the teenage boys to establish and maintain open communication whether it is through utilization of the suicide prevention hotline available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week or the counseling services available at local high schools.
What barriers stand between the audience and the action?
One of the most significant barriers for teenage boys and the action aforementioned is that people are not as likely to be open or willing to communicate about suicide because “most people are uncomfortable with the topic of suicide” (CDC, 2014). In fact, the World Health Organization reports that suicide prevention is not adequately addressed worldwide because of “a lack of awareness of suicide as a major problem and the taboo in many societies to discuss openly about it” (2014). These teenage boys may feel ashamed and may not be willing to confide in someone about the suicidal thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that they may have been experiencing, which can absolutely prevent them from utilizing the suicide prevention hotline or counseling services available to them.
Stigma towards suicide in general poses a major barrier for individuals who are seeking to establish communication with someone and searching for the help and assistance necessary to cope with their suicidal thoughts and behaviors. “Stigma is also the underlying motive for discrimination…[which] can occur at a personal, community or institutional level” (IASP, 2013). This can definitely act as a barrier and prevent these teenage boys from feeling comfortable enough to reach out, establish, and maintain open communication with a trusted family member, friend, or adult.
What is the benefit to the audience of engaging in the action?
Through establishing and maintaining open communication with the teenage boys, the campaign addresses these three core values of freedom, independence, and freedom because it allows the teenage boys to freely make the decision to establish and maintain communication about any suicidal thoughts or actions and to be able to do so in confidence without fear of being judged of discriminated against. It will be essential to be supportive of these teens rather than disregarding their thoughts and that respect is being shown for the way that the feel throughout all interactions and communications. This will encourage teens to feel a sense of safety and comfort knowing that they can openly communicate because their thoughts and concerns are being taken seriously.
What is the support for that benefit, that is, what will make it credible to the audience?
Utilizing the hotline and counseling services will serve as a way to safely disclose suicidal thoughts and behaviors, speak up about any problems they need help with, or express themselves without fear of being judged or being discriminated against. Maintaining open communication with teens and their peers presents an opportunity to help as needed (Johns Hopkins Medicine, 2014). Smith et al. (2014) affirm that discussing suicidal thoughts is often extremely difficult for anyone and often times individuals may be uncertain whether an individual is suicidal. Giving these boys “the opportunity to express [their] feelings can provide relief from loneliness and pent-up negative feelings, and may prevent a suicide attempt” (Smith et al., 2014).
What are the best openings for reaching the audience, and are the channels available appropriate for conveying the message?
The best openings for reaching the audience will be at school. This particular opening is appropriate assuming that they will be spending most of their time there. The teens will be informed about the suicide prevention hotline and counseling services at school, where they will also be given the reference card with the local suicide prevention hotline phone number as well as the national suicide prevention hotline phone numbers. These numbers will be useful, especially for teens, assuming that they own or have access to a mobile phone or a phone and are able to get help when needed. In addition, the teens are given a flyer notifying them of the days and times of the counseling services and the flyers will also be posted around each of the local high schools as a reminder that there is always someone there to help, talk to, and that they are not alone.
What image should communications convey?
The image that should be conveyed is one of sincerity, trust, and honesty but still is young and imaginative, particularly because they are still teenage boys. It will be important to establish communications that conveys a sense of sincerity, trust, and honesty because the overall intention is to encourage these teenage boys to feel comfortable enough to establish and maintain open communication. In order to do so, they must feel a sense of safety and know that they are able to trust in the individual they are discussing information about their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Incorporating technology and the use of mobile phones as a way for these individuals to seek help and assistance by calling in or texting the suicide prevention hotlines is a way to covey a young and imaginative image.
Behavior Change Theory
The behavior change theory selected that is appropriate for this campaign is the Theory of Planned Behavior. According to Cottrell et al., the theory of planned behavior addresses an individuals’ intentions to perform a given behavior as a function of their attitude toward performing the behavior, their beliefs about what is relevant others think they should do, and their perception of the ease or difficulty in performing the behavior (2009). The target audience of this campaign may be unsure about establishing open communication about their suicidal thoughts and actions but are still willing to engage in the behavior because they acknowledge that by doing so, they will be able to receive the help necessary to cope with their problems, express themselves, and have someone to listen when they need to talk. It is evident that most will agree that suicide is a behavior that should be prevented and avoided at all costs and by any means possible. As such, these teens may are likely to rationalize that their families, friends, and peers would not want them to commit suicide, and instead seek help by utilizing the prevention hotlines and counseling services rather than harming themselves or committing suicide. Finally, the last component, actual behavior control, entails maintaining open communication with whomever they have established a line of communication with in the first place. In addition, assuring that the target audience has actual behavior control would entail that they are aware of the resources available to them and are able to openly communicate with a trusted individual as necessary.
Emotional Appeal
Emotional benefit appeals are believed to be “more useful than rational appeals” and are “an excellent strategy when the audience is undecided or confused,” states Resnick and Siegel (2013). This indecisiveness and confusion is evident in the current behaviors of the teenage boys who have not or do not report suicide attempts or communicate their suicidal thoughts or actions, made a plan about attempting suicide, etc. I have chosen to utilize a positive emotional appeal because a more effective way of increasing compliance is “stressing positive rather than negative outcomes and control rather than helplessness” (Resnick & Siegel, 2013). This is especially crucial with suicide prevention among teenagers because it is essential to emphasize the positive behavior change of establishing and maintaining open communication as a way for these individuals to get help and deal with problems they are experiencing, express themselves without fear of judgment or discrimination, etc., instead of committing suicide and harming themselves as a means to an end.
The open communication created between the teens and a trusted family member, friend, or school faculty member can assist in allowing the teen to be equipped to cope with challenges, organize and make sense of their thoughts, feelings, and actions, and get help if necessary, which will potentially encourage more positive feelings to be fostered about themselves, their situation, and life in general.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, (2011). High school youth risk behavior survey: Hawaii 2011 and United States 2011 results. Retrieved from website: http://nccd.cdc.gov/youthonline/App/Results.aspx?TT=G&OUT=0&SID=HS&QID=QQ&LID=HI&YID=2011&LID2=XX&YID2=2011&COL=&ROW1=&ROW2=&HT=QQ&LCT=&FS=1&FR=1&FG=1&FSL=&FRL=&FGL=&PV=&C1=HI2011&C2=XX2011&QP=G&DP=1&VA=CI&CS=N&SYID=&EYID=&SC=DEFAULT&SO=ASC&pf=1&TST=True
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Office of Statistics and Programming, Division of Violence Prevention. (2014). Suicide prevention: Youth suicide. Retrieved from website: http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pub/youth_suicide.html
Cottrell, R., Girvan, J., & McKenzie, J. (2009). Principles and foundations of health promotion and education. (4th ed.). San Francisco, CA: Pearson Education, Inc.
Hawaii State Department of Health, Injury Prevention and Control Section. (2013). Injuries in Hawaii: Suicide. Retrieved from website: http://health.hawaii.gov/injuryprevention/files/2013/09/suicide_Datachapter2007-11a-692KB.pdf
International Association for Suicide Prevention, (2013). Stigma: A major barrier for suicide prevention. Retrieved from website: http://iasp.info/wspd/pdf/2013/
2013_wspd_brochure.pdf
The Johns Hopkins University, Johns Hopkins Medicine Health Library. (2014). Teen suicide. Retrieved from website: http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/
conditions/mental_health_disorders/teen_suicide_90,P02584/
Resnick, E.A. & Siegel, M. (2013). Marketing public health: Strategies to promote social change. (3rd ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning, Inc.
Smith, M., Segal, J., & Robinson, L. Helpguide.org, (2014). Suicide prevention: How to help someone who is suicidal. Retrieved from website: http://www.helpguide.org/mental/suicide_prevention.htm
The World Health Organization. (2014). Mental health: Suicide prevention (SUPRE). Retrieved from website: http://www.who.int/mental_health/prevention/suicide/
suicideprevent/en/