LTReikšminiai žodžiai: Asmenų reprezentacijos; Interneto portalai; Nuo psichoaktyviųjų medžiagų priklausomi asmenys; Priklausomybė; Psichoaktyvios medžiagos; Reprezentacija; ŽIV (AIDS); Žiniasklaida; Addiction; HIV; Internet news portals; Mass media; Persons addicted to psychoactive substances; Psychoactive substances; Representation; Representation of persons.
ENThe aim. To analyse the representation of persons addicted to psychoactive substances and infected HIV in the internet news portals. Method. Analysis of mass media articles was based on quantitative and qualitative content analysis where electronic databases of mass media have been used. Two internet portals were chosen for analysis: Delfi.lt and 15min.lt. Data of the research consists of publications collected during the period: 01/01/2012 – 30/06/2014. Analysis of the publications was conducted by the application of the qualitative content analysis as well as by using computer-based content analysis software “Hamlet” which helped to identify frequencies of keywords as well as cluster-analysis helped to reveal social context within which persons addicted to psychoactive substances and infected HIV are being associated. Results and conclusions. The analysis of online publications revealed that despite the actuality of the topic it was presented rarely and the topic was rather secondary than primary. This gave the possibility to state that in the internet news portals as well as in the public discourse there were almost no active discussions about addiction to psychoactive substances and HIV. The sources of information most often were journalists themselves which shows that priority was not given for the specialists of the subject (psychiatrists, psychologist, social workers, etc.) who are the best experts on the topic, based on facts but not on emotions and sensations. Despite that the main characters in the publications were persons who are addicted to psychoactive substances and infected with HIV, they did not take part in presenting themselves. It was found that very often somebody else declared the situation instead of them or the situation was presented through journalist’s interpretational schemes.There were almost no publications where optimistic or good practices were presented. In the publications analyzed persons addicted to psychoactive substances and infected with HIV were identified as negative social phenomenon with illness, extra expenses for treatment/care, unstable psychical mode, crimes, danger, insolent, etc. Quantitative data analysis revealed that publications most often report of HIV infection among psychoactive drug users by injecting drugs and one of the main connections of HIV spread among other society groups is not only injecting psychoactive substances use but also prostitution. Rather weak but significant link is apparent between the sysonims of morbidity and illness. Linkage of these clusters indicated that not only HIV is often mentioned in publications but also prevalence of other diseases which are associated with HIV/ AIDS. Quantitative analisys also enables to presume that discussed problem is introduced as criminal activity. [From the publication]