TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2024//
TI  - The Veterans Crisis Line: relations among immediate call outcomes and treatment contact and utilization following the call
JO  - Suicide and life-threatening behavior
A1  - Britton, Peter C.
A1  - Karras, Elizabeth
A1  - Stecker, Tracy
A1  - Klein, John
A1  - Crasta, Dev
A1  - Brenner, Lisa A.
A1  - Pigeon, Wilfred R.
SP  - ePub
EP  - ePub
VL  - ePub
IS  - ePub
N2  - OBJECTIVE: Crisis line callers experience reductions in distress and suicidal ideation and utilize more health care following calls. The purpose of this study was to determine whether changes in distress and suicidal ideation during a call are associated with later healthcare contact and utilization. <br><br>METHOD: Veterans Crisis Line calls from 599 veterans were extracted with call dates between 12/1/2018 and 11/30/2019. Calls were coded for changes in distress and suicidal ideation and linked with VA medical records to obtain healthcare data. Generalized Linear Mixed Modeling was used to examine the associations of changes in distress and suicidal ideation with healthcare contact (yes/no) and utilization (days of treatment) in the month (30 days) following the call. <br><br>RESULTS: Reductions in distress were associated with behavioral (i.e., mental and substance use) healthcare utilization, F(1, 596) = 4.52, p = 0.03, and reductions in suicidal ideation were associated with any healthcare utilization, F(1, 596) = 6.45, p = 0.01. Changes in distress and suicidal ideation were not associated with healthcare contact. <br><br>CONCLUSION: Responders need to help resolve distress and suicidal ideation and link callers with treatment. Unresolved distress and suicidal thoughts may signify later problems with treatment utilization. Research is needed to determine causality.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0363-0234
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/sltb.13086
ID  - ref1
ER  -