Preventing Suicide and Self-Harm
Evaluating the Efficacy of a Helpline From a Service User and Helpline Worker Perspective
Abstract
Abstract.Background: Telephone helplines are considered to play an important role in preventing suicide and self-harm among callers in distress. However, inconsistency in the methods of evaluating such services has limited the firm conclusions that can be drawn. Aims: To evaluate the efficacy of a UK-based helpline from a service user and helpline worker perspective. Method: Callers were asked about their mental state at the beginning and end of the call with a short questionnaire. Helpline workers were surveyed about their experiences of using the questionnaire as part of routine service provision. Results: The helpline was successful at reducing suicidal and self-harming ideation. The short questionnaire method was also successfully integrated into routine practice. Conclusion: Evaluating the efficacy of helplines can be successfully achieved using the short questionnaire method.
References
(1968). The evaluation of a suicide prevention scheme by an ecological method. Social Science and Medicine, 2, 1–4.
(2014). Characteristics of people who use telephone counseling: Findings from secondary analysis of a population-based study. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research. Advance online publication. 10.1007/s10488-014-0595-8
(2010). Epidemiology and trends in non-fatal self-harm in three centres in England: 2000–2007. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 197, 493–498.
(2002). Suicide among the elderly: The long-term impact of a telephone support and assessment intervention in northern Italy. British Journal of Psychiatry, 81, 226–229.
. (2012). Preventing suicide in England. A cross-government outcomes strategy to save lives. HM Government. Retrieved from https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/216928/Preventing-Suicide-in-England-A-cross-government-outcomes-strategy-to-save-lives.pdf
. (2012). Department of Children and Families. The effectiveness and sufficiency of services provided by the New Jersey-based suicide prevention hotlines. Retrieved from http://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/news/reports/NJ%20HOTLINE%20SURVEY%20REPORT%2011%2028%2012.pdf
. (2012). Increased calls to the national crisis helpline. Retrieved from http://www.miel-enterveysseura.fi/files/1496/Newsletter2012.pdf
(2009).
Crisis hotlines . In D. WassermanC. WassermanEds., Oxford textbook of suicidology and suicide prevention (pp. 459–463). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.(2013). Impact of applied suicide intervention skills training on the national suicide prevention lifeline. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 43(6), 676–691.
(2007). An evaluation of crisis hotline outcomes part 2: Suicidal callers. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 37(3), 338–352.
(2002). Suicide following deliberate self-harm: Long-term follow-up of patients who presented to a general hospital. British Journal of Psychiatry, 182, 537–542.
. (2014). Taking the pulse of helplines in the UK: Results from our annual members' survey. Retrieved from https://helplines.org/helpline-managers/taking-pulse-helplines-uk-results-annual-members-survey/
(2011). Evaluation of the Suicide Prevention Program in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan, using the CIPP evaluation model. Community Mental Health Journal, 47, 542–550.
(2008). Crisis intervention strategies (6th ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson Higher Education.
(2007). An evaluation of crisis hotline outcomes part 1: Nonsuicidal crisis callers. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 37(3), 322–337.
(2013).
Suicide prevention centres . In D. LesterJ. R. RogersEds., Suicide: A global issue (pp. 71–91). Oxford, UK: Praeger.. (2014). Kids Help-line reveals mental health concerns as number one issue amongst children and young people. Retrieved from http://www.kidshelp.com.au/upload/22958.pdf
(2003). Telephone counselling for adolescent suicide prevention: Changes suicidality and mental state from beginning to end of a counseling session. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 33, 400–411.
. (2012). Life Lines: Evaluation of mental health helplines. Mental Health Foundation. Retrieved from http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/content/assets/PDF/publications/life_lines.pdf?view=Standard
(2014). Systematic review of research into frequent callers to crisis helplines. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 2, 89–98.
(2005). Comparison of the effects of four suicide prevention programs for family and friends of high-risk suicidal men who do not seek help themselves. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 35(3), 329–342.
. (2014). Suicides in the United Kingdom, 2012 registrations. Retrieved from http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/re-reference-tables.html?edition=tcm%3A77-332358
(2002). Fatal and non-fatal repetition of self-harm; Systematic review. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 181, 193–199.
. (2010). Self-harm, suicide and risk: Helping people who self-harm. Final report of a working group (Report CR158). Retrieved from http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/files/pdfversion/cr158.pdf
(2014). Frequent callers to crisis helplines: Who are they and why do they call. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 49(1), 54–64.
. (2012). Public health action for the prevention of suicide. Geneva, Switzerland: Author.
. (2013). Mental Health Action Plan 2013–2020. Geneva, Switzerland: Author.
. (2014). Preventing suicide: A global imperative. Geneva, Switzerland: Author.
