Frequent callers to crisis helplines: who are they and why do they call?

Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2015 Jan;49(1):54-64. doi: 10.1177/0004867414541154. Epub 2014 Jun 27.

Abstract

Objective: Frequent callers present a challenge for crisis helplines, which strive to achieve optimal outcomes for all callers within finite resources. This study aimed to describe frequent callers to Lifeline (the largest crisis helpline in Australia) and compare them with non-frequent callers, with a view to furthering knowledge about models of service delivery that might meet the needs of frequent callers.

Method: Lifeline provided an anonymous dataset on calls made between December 2011 and May 2013. We assumed calls from the same (encrypted) phone number were made by the same person, and aggregated call level data up to the person level. Individuals who made 0.667 calls per day in any period from 1 week to the full 549 days for which we had data (i.e. 4.7 calls in 7 days, 20 calls in 30 days, 40 calls in 60 days, etc.) were regarded as frequent callers.

Results: Our analysis dataset included 411,725 calls made by 98,174 individuals, 2594 (2.6%) of whom met our definition of frequent callers. We identified a number of predictors of being a frequent caller, including being male or transgender, and never having been married. The odds increased with age until 55-64 years, and then declined. Suicidality, self-harm, mental health issues, crime, child protection and domestic violence issues all predicted being a frequent caller.

Conclusions: Collectively, frequent callers have a significant impact on crisis lines, and solutions need to be found for responding to them that are in everybody's best interests (i.e. the frequent callers themselves, other callers, telephone crisis supporters who staff crisis lines, and those who manage crisis lines). In striking this balance, the complex and multiple needs of frequent callers must be taken into account.

Keywords: Crisis helplines; frequent callers; self-harm; suicide.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Age Distribution
  • Aged
  • Australia
  • Child Abuse / statistics & numerical data
  • Crime / statistics & numerical data
  • Crisis Intervention / methods*
  • Crisis Intervention / statistics & numerical data*
  • Data Collection / statistics & numerical data
  • Domestic Violence / statistics & numerical data
  • Female
  • Hotlines / statistics & numerical data*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Marital Status
  • Mental Disorders / therapy
  • Middle Aged
  • Risk Factors
  • Self-Injurious Behavior / prevention & control
  • Sex Distribution
  • Suicide Prevention
  • Transgender Persons / statistics & numerical data
  • Young Adult