MEDIA INFLUENCE ON HEALTH AND SAFETY IN NIGHTLIFE liteRatuRe RevieW The project is supported by the European Commission under the Health Programme 2008-2013. Other supporters of the project are: Ministry of Health JOHAN JONGBLOET PEER VAN DER KREEFT TINA VAN HAVERE Criminalité (Luxembourg) and the City of London (United Kingdom). The project is supported by the European Commission under the Health Programme 2008-2013. Other supporters of the project are: Ministry of Health Criminalité (Luxembourg) and the City of London (United Kingdom). contact: Johan Jongbloet university college ghent faculty of education, health and Social work voskenslaan 362 9000 ghent belgium [email protected] copyRight: Johan Jongbloet, peer van der kreeft, tina van havere university college ghent faculty of education, health and Social Work voskenslaan 362 9000 ghent belgium index executive Summary.................................................................................4 introduction.............................................................................................. 11 Media.influence.theory........................................................................... 13 Youth.and.media.use.today................................................................... 16 Nightlife.in.Europe................................................................................... 19 Media and nightlife behaviour............................................................23 Health.and.harms.in.Nightlife................................................................24 Illicit.Substances....................................................................................24 Alcohol...................................................................................................28 Sex..........................................................................................................30 Injuries...................................................................................................33 Reporting.and.covering.unhealthy.behavior:.Social.Norms...............39 Social.Norms.........................................................................................39 Media’s.Role.in.social.norms...............................................................40 Public.Sector’s.role.in.social.norms.....................................................42 Concluding.remarks.............................................................................45 Unhealthy.Advertising.in.Nightlife.......................................................47 Digital.Party.............................................................................................. 51 Media and nightlife prevention...........................................................53 Reporting.&.Coverage.–.Links.with.Prevention.....................................54 Mass.Media.Campaigns.in.the.new.era..............................................56 Online.Prevention....................................................................................58 Media and nightlife policy................................................................... 61 Reporting.&.Coverage.–.Links.with.Policy.and.public.opinion............62 Media.regulation.policy..........................................................................64 Media.Literacy..........................................................................................68 discussion.................................................................................................71 References...............................................................................................74 3 executive SuMMaRy 4 This.literature.review.aimed.to.explore.the.influence.of.the.media.on.the.health.and. risk.behaviour.of.young.people.in.nightlife..It.was.carried.out.as.part.of.the.EU.funded. Club.Health.research.project.‘Healthy.and.Safer.Nightlife.of.Youth’. A.search.of. academic.databases.and.grey.literature.was.conducted.during.2010-2011..The.extent. of.the.influence.of.the.press,.broadcasting,.music.and.the.internet.was.examined.in. relation.to.nightlife.entertainment.and.more.specifically,.youth.health.and.safety..Whilst. understanding.that.the.media.can.contribute.to.negative.imaging.and.the.establish- ment.of.hazardous.social.norms.leading.to.unhealthy.and.dangerous.behaviour,.there. is.also.acknowledgment.of.the.potential.of.that.same.media.to.contribute.to.a.safe,. healthy.and.enjoyable.nightlife..Bearing.this.point.in.mind,.public.health.professionals. who.are.the.target.audience.for.this.review,.are.encouraged.to.consider.ways.of.using. media.opportunities.to.enhance.their.work.in.harm.reduction.and.the.prevention.of. risk.behaviour.associated.with.nightlife. Media landScape ReSeaRch Young.people.rely.principally.on.the.internet.for.information.about.psychoactive. substances,.which.implies.that.emerging.substances.and.use.trends.are.detected.by. youth.ahead.of.the.legal.system.or.researchers..Additionally,.with.regard.to.sexual. health,.there.are.indications.that.the.media.are.providing.a.premier,.non-threatening. source.of.information.for.youth..However,.not.all.the.information.is.professionally. produced.and.young.people.are.not.only.consumers.of.mass.media.but.have.also. become.producers.of.it..Thus.there.is.the.implication.in.the.historical.sense.that.for.the. first.time.there.is.access.to.the.spreading.blueprint.of.behaviour.that.previously.might. have.surfaced.briefly.and.then.disappeared. For.public.health.promotion.this.implies: •. The.internet.has.become.an.extensive.database.of.erotica.and.pornography.where. in.contrast.to.broadcasting.and.press,.almost.no.regulations.exist.and.would.be. impossible.to.impose..However,.heavy.and.prolonged.exposure.to.sexual.content. creates.misconceptions.and.social.norms.of.an.increased.perception.of.sexual. activity.together.with.the.overestimation.of.less.widespread.sexual.activities.in. the.populace..Traditional.mass.media.could.contribute.significantly.in.correcting. these.false.perceptions..This.will.require.giving.up.the.limited.regulation.focus.on. genitals.and.genital.penetration.in.the.definition.of.erotica.and.pornography.for. broadcasting.and.press..Erotic.content.regulation.will.have.to.be.conceptualized.in. a.meaningful.behavioural.context.that.includes.both.motivational.and.experiential. conditions,.as.well.as.emotional.and.behavioural.consequences. 5 •. A.legal.system.based.on.chemical.components.of.substances.is.set.to.have. increasing.struggles.in.the.unremitting.launching.of.new.adapted.substances.and. internet.selling.techniques..Moreover.dealing.over.the.internet.does.not.immediately. imply.overt.deviancy.or.criminality..We.could.thus.move.towards.a.legal.system. where.drug.use.and.dealing.is.contextual,.including.objective,.style,.place,.method,. and.circumstances.. •. Mainstream.social.network.services.are.not.a.play.space.where.anything.goes,.but. rather.a.communication.channel.where.everything.is.recorded..This.could.prove.a. tremendous.data.pool.for.public.health.researchers.studying.spreading.and.impact. of.hazardous.behaviour. •. Internet.monitoring.already.is.a.widespread.practice.for.corporate.gain.and.judicial. goals,.but.not.so.much.from.a.public.health.point.of.view..We.should.assess.the. possibilities.of.corporate.responsibility.of.all.industries.involved.in.public.health. (nightlife).and.media.to.act.more.proactive.on.the.ever.faster.digitally.spreading.of. social.conduct.and.the.promotion.of.healthy.lifestyles.. health ProMotion caMpaignS Dealing.with.media.and.prevention.in.nightlife,.professionals.should.realise.that.new. media.technologies.could.just.be.the.kiss.of.death.for.big.media.and.broadcasting. campaigns,.since.with.a.fragmented.media.landscape,.an.increased.offer.of.televi- sion.channels.and.digital.TV.features.limits.viewers’.exposure.to.such.campaigns. •. In.nightlife,.youth.search.for.relaxation.and.having.fun.with.friends..Substance.use. happens.in.this.promotion.focus.(rather.having.fun.then.being.healthy).and.preven- tion.messages.need.to.connect.with.this.mental.state..They.need.to.be.correctly. framed..Social.marketing.prevention.efforts.should.consequently.focus.on.gain-.(e.g.. if.you.delay.drug.initiation.you.are.more.likely.to.be.healthy.in.the.future.and.experi- ence.more.years.of.having.fun),.rather.than.loss.or.fear.framed.(e.g..if.you.use.drugs. at.an.early.age.you.are.likely.to.get.sick).messages. •. Targeting.hedonistic.young.people.with.messages.that.increasing.healthy.choices. will.lead.to.more.years.in.which.to.experience.happiness.and.fun.may.even.be.a. successful.way.of.actively.engaging.them..Developing.tailored.interventions.implies. not.stopping.at.the.profiling,.but.actively.‘culturally’.involving.the.target.group.to. increase.credibility.and.the.peer.to.peer.component.in.the.preventive.effort.. •. In.selective.prevention.efforts.we.want.to.diffuse.specialised.knowledge.on.risk. behaviour.such.as.substance.use.and.sexual.health..However,.spreading.these. prevention.messages.in.the.general.population.has.the.potential.of.establishing. social.norms..A.dangerous.social.norm.is.when.youth.overestimate.the.prevalence. of.hazardous.behaviour..Because.of.this,.previously.we.were.held.back.using.mass. media.for.selective.prevention..However,.the.new.forming.media.landscape.with.its. 6 social.reality.might.offer.some.paths.for.effective.selective.public.health.communica- tion..Social.platforms,.micro.blogging.and.sharing.tools.on.the.internet.enable.us.to. focus.for.example.on.online.communities,.constituted.by.youngsters.who.bear.the.