Citation

Rasmussen KA, King DA, Gould MS, Cross WF, Tang W, Kaukeinen K, Tu X, Knox KL. Suicide Life Threat. Behav. 2016; 47(4): 387-397.

Affiliation

Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, American Association of Suicidology, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/sltb.12313

PMID

27935103

Abstract

When the Veterans Crisis Line (VCL) was implemented, it was uncertain if veterans, and particularly older male veterans, would utilize the service. We examined VCL use by a growing group of veterans at increased risk for suicide: those aged 60 and older. Real-time clinical data were gathered from a weekly random sampling of calls. Approximately 25% of calls were from veterans aged 60 or older; over 80% reported benefit from the call. Several significant differences in presenting concerns between older and younger callers were found. Targeted outreach to encourage older veterans to use the VCL is suggested.

© 2016 The American Association of Suicidology.

Language: en