By Kelly Burke. Published of the Sydney Morning Herald Website (Health) on August 9th, 2011.
http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/diet-and-fitness/middleage-single-parents-at-highest-risk-of-work-stress-20110808-1ij8b.html
I found this article on mental health quite disjointed. The story is packed with statistics from the National Survey conducted by a suicide prevention group called “R U OK”, however failed to refer to any previous any current and/or relevant studies undertaken by other organisations. Although the statistics are informative, it only shows results from a singular survey specific to suicide prevention. The article does not tie together the notion that work stress may increase the risk of suicide; it merely indicates that stress can cause illness. However this article is effective in the way that it draws attention to a serious health issue, and to the fact that vulnerable workers are failing to be recognised and looked after. This conjures up food for thought regarding managerial responsibility and workers supervision.
The ‘expert’ source used within the article is the Director of the Suicide Prevention group R U OK. I believe his quotes were appropriate to the story, however I think the article could have been improved by the inclusion of a mental health professional specialising in work place health, such as an organisational psychologist. The article could have also included a person who had suffered from depression as a result of a high stress work environment, to add relevance and depth of the story. About ¾ of the way down the article the story suddenly changes from information about the National Survey, to a story of lady (Rachael Robertson) who worked only for a year as a manger at Australia’s Davis Station in Antarctica. I found this a really irrelevant source to incorporate within the article, especially as the source attributes irritable behaviour and change in attitude to the winter months where the temperature is sub-zero. These conditions are not representative of ‘most’ working environments throughout Australia.
The inclusion of the phone numbers for life line and The Suicide Call Back service at the end of the article, I thought was suitable and appropriately added. The photo taken is of an extremely smiley Rachael Robertson, on some rocks next to a beach. I don’t think this is a very suitable choice of imagery. Firstly there is an implicit association between rocks, cliffs and the ocean as being related to suicide. Secondly I feel it is slightly insensitive and unfitting for Rachael to be portrayed as being very happy when the article is addressing suicide concern.
http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/diet-and-fitness/middleage-single-parents-at-highest-risk-of-work-stress-20110808-1ij8b.html
The ‘expert’ source used within the article is the Director of the Suicide Prevention group R U OK. I believe his quotes were appropriate to the story, however I think the article could have been improved by the inclusion of a mental health professional specialising in work place health, such as an organisational psychologist. The article could have also included a person who had suffered from depression as a result of a high stress work environment, to add relevance and depth of the story. About ¾ of the way down the article the story suddenly changes from information about the National Survey, to a story of lady (Rachael Robertson) who worked only for a year as a manger at Australia’s Davis Station in Antarctica. I found this a really irrelevant source to incorporate within the article, especially as the source attributes irritable behaviour and change in attitude to the winter months where the temperature is sub-zero. These conditions are not representative of ‘most’ working environments throughout Australia.
The inclusion of the phone numbers for life line and The Suicide Call Back service at the end of the article, I thought was suitable and appropriately added. The photo taken is of an extremely smiley Rachael Robertson, on some rocks next to a beach. I don’t think this is a very suitable choice of imagery. Firstly there is an implicit association between rocks, cliffs and the ocean as being related to suicide. Secondly I feel it is slightly insensitive and unfitting for Rachael to be portrayed as being very happy when the article is addressing suicide concern.
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