Chapter 37 - Mental health, mass communication, and media

Summary

Traditional and social media have considerable potential to reach a broad audience and cover a wide range of topics. Media in the form of telemedicine and distance learning has a long history in rural and congested urban areas, but it can be most efficiently used today when incorporated into modern media. The ability to communicate with one another allows global communities to become co-producers of mental health content. This chapter proposes that media can play a role in encouraging positive mental health and well-being, thereby impacting prevalence rates of common mental disorders. Mass media interventions have a proven impact on mental health literacy, destigmatization, and prevention, as demonstrated by a variety of research methods. The series content depicts recognizable locations and daily life themes, often focusing on traumatic issues such as corruption, ethnic differences, coping with emotions, rape, and drugs.