The foxconn suicides and their media prominence: is the werther effect applicable in china?

Qijin Cheng,Paul Sf Yip,Feng Chen

doi:10.1186/1471-2458-11-841

Qijin Cheng, Paul Sf Yip + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-11-841

Copy DOI

Abstract

BackgroundMedia reporting of suicide and its relationship with actual suicide has rarely been investigated in Mainland China. The "Foxconn suicides" is a description referring to a string of suicides/attempts during 2010, all of which were related to a giant electrical manufacturing company, Foxconn. This study aimed to examine the clustering and copycat effects of the Foxconn suicides, and to investigate temporal patterns in how they were reported by the media in Mainland China, Hong Kong (HK), and Taiwan (TW).MethodsRelevant articles were collected from representative newspapers published in three big cities in Mainland China (Beijing (BJ), Shenzhen (SZ), and Guangzhou (GZ)), HK, and TW, together with searching intensity data on the topic conducted using the Baidu search engine in Mainland China. The temporal clustering effects of the Foxconn suicides and their media prominence were assessed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. The media reports of the Foxconn suicides' temporal patterns were explored using a nonparametric curve estimation method (that is, the local linear method). The potential mutual interactions between the Foxconn suicides and their media prominence were also examined, using logistic and Poisson regression methods.ResultsThe results support a temporal clustering effect for the Foxconn suicides. The BJ-based newspapers' reporting and the occurrence of a Foxconn suicide/attempt are each found to be associated with an elevated chance of a further Foxconn suicide 3 days later. The occurrence of a Foxconn suicide also immediately influenced the intensity of both Baidu searching and newspaper reporting. Regional diversity in suicide reporting tempo-patterns within Mainland China, and similarities between HK and TW, are also demonstrated.ConclusionsThe Foxconn suicides were temporally clustered. Their occurrences were influenced by the reporting of BJ-based newspapers, and contagion within the company itself. Further suicide research and prevention work in China should consider its special media environment.

Highlights

Media reporting of suicide and its relationship with actual suicide has rarely been investigated in Mainland China
Within Mainland China, those newspapers distributed in Shenzhen were included, and those available in the larger Chinese cities and whose content was accessible online
Clustering effect The P value of the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test of uniformity of the Foxconn suicides’ time distribution was 0.002 < 0.05, so the null hypothesis can be firmly rejected in favor of the alternative hypothesis that there was a temporal clustering of the Foxconn suicides

Summary

Introduction

The suicide rate in Mainland China has been estimated to be as high as 23 per 100, 000 individuals and the latest (2009) suicide rates in Hong Kong (HK) and Taiwan (TW), according to accurate census reports, were 13.8 and 17.6 per 100, 000, respectively [1,2,3]. Suicides in these three communities have accounted for more than a quarter of all such events worldwide [4]. The string of suicides/attempts attracted mass media concern about the suicide problem in modern China in all Chinese communities, and was even discussed by some international media, such as the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal [5,6]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion