Callers' Experiences of Contacting a National Suicide Prevention Helpline: Report of an Online Survey

Overview

Journal Crisis

Specialty Social Sciences

Date 2012 Jul 5

PMID 22759662

Citations 31

Authors

Catherine M Coveney

Kristian Pollock

Sarah Armstrong

John Moore

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Helplines are a significant phenomenon in the mixed economy of health and social care. Given the often anonymous and fleeting nature of caller contact, it is difficult to obtain data about their impact and how users perceive their value. This paper reports findings from an online survey of callers contacting Samaritans emotional support services.

Aims: To explore the (self-reported) characteristics of callers using a national suicide prevention helpline and their reasons given for contacting the service, and to present the users' evaluations of the service they received.

Methods: Online survey of a self-selected sample of callers.

Results: 1,309 responses were received between May 2008 and May 2009. There were high incidences of expressed suicidality and mental health issues. Regular and ongoing use of the service was common. Respondents used the service for complex and varied reasons and often as part of a network of support.

Conclusions: Respondents reported high levels of satisfaction with the service and perceived contact to be helpful. Although Samaritans aims to provide a crisis service, many callers do not access this in isolation or as a last resort, instead contacting the organization selectively and often in tandem with other types of support.

Citing Articles

Talk Time Differences Between Interregional and Intraregional Calls to a Crisis Helpline: Statistical Analysis.

Turkington R, Potts C, Mulvenna M, Bond R, ONeill S, Ennis E JMIR Ment Health. 2024; 11:e58162.

PMID: 39297922 PMC: 11426180. DOI: 10.2196/58162.

The UT Health Living Room: Expanding the Psychiatric Crisis Continuum of Care.

Dangwung P, Golden K, Webb A, Fredrick M, Roberts D Community Ment Health J. 2024; 60(8):1589-1595.

PMID: 39106021 DOI: 10.1007/s10597-024-01313-3.

Risk factors for subsequent suicidal acts among 12-25-year-old high-risk callers to a suicide prevention hotline in China: a longitudinal study.

Wu J, Zhang R, Zhao L, Yin Y, Min J, Ge Y Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health. 2024; 18(1):73.

PMID: 38898519 PMC: 11188529. DOI: 10.1186/s13034-024-00765-5.

Evaluating the Experience of Teen-to-Teen Crisis Line Volunteers: A Pilot Study.

Glenn C, Kalgren T, Dutta S, Kandlur R, Allison K, Duan A Community Ment Health J. 2024; 60(7):1422-1433.

PMID: 38833081 PMC: 11408403. DOI: 10.1007/s10597-024-01298-z.

Characterizing Veterans Crisis Line callers and regional follow-up efforts.

Ammerman B, Carter S, Walker K, Gebhardt H, Rojas S, Duman C Mil Psychol. 2024; 34(3):288-295.

PMID: 38536253 PMC: 10013224. DOI: 10.1080/08995605.2021.1963631.

References

Appleby L, Shaw J, Amos T, McDonnell R, Harris C, McCann K . Suicide within 12 months of contact with mental health services: national clinical survey. BMJ. 1999; 318(7193):1235-9. PMC: 27859. DOI: 10.1136/bmj.318.7193.1235. View

Cavanagh J, Carson A, Sharpe M, Lawrie S . Psychological autopsy studies of suicide: a systematic review. Psychol Med. 2003; 33(3):395-405. DOI: 10.1017/s0033291702006943. View

Mishara B, Daigle M . Effects of different telephone intervention styles with suicidal callers at two suicide prevention centers: an empirical investigation. Am J Community Psychol. 1998; 25(6):861-85. DOI: 10.1023/a:1022269314076. View

Harrison H . ChildLine--the first twelve years. Arch Dis Child. 2000; 82(4):283-5. PMC: 1718281. DOI: 10.1136/adc.82.4.283. View

Fleischmann A, Bertolote J, Wasserman D, De Leo D, Bolhari J, Botega N . Effectiveness of brief intervention and contact for suicide attempters: a randomized controlled trial in five countries. Bull World Health Organ. 2008; 86(9):703-9. PMC: 2649494. DOI: 10.2471/blt.07.046995. View

Barbe R, Bridge J, Birmaher B, Kolko D, Brent D . Suicidality and its relationship to treatment outcome in depressed adolescents. Suicide Life Threat Behav. 2004; 34(1):44-55. DOI: 10.1521/suli.34.1.44.27768. View

Bernburg J, Thorlindsson T, Sigfusdottir I . The spreading of suicidal behavior: The contextual effect of community household poverty on adolescent suicidal behavior and the mediating role of suicide suggestion. Soc Sci Med. 2008; 68(2):380-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2008.10.020. View

Eagles J, Carson D, Begg A, Naji S . Suicide prevention: a study of patients' views. Br J Psychiatry. 2003; 182:261-5. DOI: 10.1192/bjp.182.3.261. View

Mead N, Lester H, Chew-Graham C, Gask L, Bower P . Effects of befriending on depressive symptoms and distress: systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Psychiatry. 2010; 196(2):96-101. DOI: 10.1192/bjp.bp.109.064089. View

10.

Hall B, Schlosar H . Repeat callers and the Samaritan telephone crisis line--a Canadian experience. Crisis. 1995; 16(2):66-71, 89. DOI: 10.1027/0227-5910.16.2.66. View

11.

Cattan M, Kime N, Bagnall A . The use of telephone befriending in low level support for socially isolated older people--an evaluation. Health Soc Care Community. 2010; 19(2):198-206. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2524.2010.00967.x. View

12.

Maris R . Suicide. Lancet. 2002; 360(9329):319-26. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(02)09556-9. View

13.

Gunnell D, Frankel S . Prevention of suicide: aspirations and evidence. BMJ. 1994; 308(6938):1227-33. PMC: 2540097. DOI: 10.1136/bmj.308.6938.1227. View

14.

Nock M, Borges G, Bromet E, Cha C, Kessler R, Lee S . Suicide and suicidal behavior. Epidemiol Rev. 2008; 30:133-54. PMC: 2576496. DOI: 10.1093/epirev/mxn002. View

15.

Shekelle P, Roland M . Nurse-led telephone-advice lines. Lancet. 1999; 354(9173):88-9. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(98)00159-7. View

16.

Prout M, Martinez O, Ballas J, Geller A, Lash T, Brooks D . Who uses the Smoker's Quitline in Massachusetts?. Tob Control. 2002; 11 Suppl 2:ii74-5. PMC: 1766084. DOI: 10.1136/tc.11.suppl_2.ii74. View

17.

Leenaars A, Lester D . The impact of suicide prevention centers on the suicide rate in the Canadian provinces. Crisis. 2004; 25(2):65-8. DOI: 10.1027/0227-5910.25.2.65. View

18.

Kalafat J, Gould M, Munfakh J, Kleinman M . An evaluation of crisis hotline outcomes. Part 1: Nonsuicidal crisis callers. Suicide Life Threat Behav. 2007; 37(3):322-37. DOI: 10.1521/suli.2007.37.3.322. View

19.

Holding T . The B.B.C. 'befrienders' series and its effects. Br J Psychiatry. 1974; 124(0):470-2. DOI: 10.1192/bjp.124.5.470. View

20.

Fukkink R, Hermanns J . Children's experiences with chat support and telephone support. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2009; 50(6):759-66. DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7610.2008.02024.x. View