TY - JOUR
T1 - Analysis of veterans crisis line data
T2 - Temporal factors associated with the initiation of emergency dispatches
AU - Britton, Peter C.
AU - Bohnert, Kipling M.
AU - Denneson, Lauren M.
AU - Ganoczy, Dara
AU - Ilgen, Mark A.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
Published 2023. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
PY - 2023/8
Y1 - 2023/8
N2 - Purpose: To identify temporal patterns of emergency dispatches as initiated by Veteran Crisis Line (VCL) responders and among moderate- and high-risk contacts. Methods: Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) were used to examine the incidence of emergency dispatches among all 1,437,543 VCL contacts across 2019–2020. Results: Emergency dispatches were initiated in 57,077 (4.0%) contacts. IRRs were elevated during Labor Day, IRR (95% CI) = 1.33 (1.15–1.54), and Independence Day, IRR (95% CI) = 1.22 (1.05–1.43), weekends, Saturdays, IRR (95% CI) = 1.04 (1.01–1.08), Sunday (reference), and 6 pm to 11:59 pm, IRR (95% CI) = 1.06 (1.04–1.09). IRRs for moderate- and high-risk contacts were higher on Memorial Day, IRR (95% CI) = 1.16 (1.00–1.33), Sunday (reference), and 6 pm to 11:59 pm (reference). Conclusions: The initiation of emergency dispatches fluctuates over time and were highest during Labor Day and Independence Day, weekends, and evenings. Moderate- and high-risk contact also fluctuate over time and were highest on Memorial Day, Sundays, and midnight to 5:59 am. VCL policy makers can use knowledge of temporal fluctuations to allocate public health resources for increased efficiency and greatest impact; however, additional research on temporal stability and generalizability is needed.
AB - Purpose: To identify temporal patterns of emergency dispatches as initiated by Veteran Crisis Line (VCL) responders and among moderate- and high-risk contacts. Methods: Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) were used to examine the incidence of emergency dispatches among all 1,437,543 VCL contacts across 2019–2020. Results: Emergency dispatches were initiated in 57,077 (4.0%) contacts. IRRs were elevated during Labor Day, IRR (95% CI) = 1.33 (1.15–1.54), and Independence Day, IRR (95% CI) = 1.22 (1.05–1.43), weekends, Saturdays, IRR (95% CI) = 1.04 (1.01–1.08), Sunday (reference), and 6 pm to 11:59 pm, IRR (95% CI) = 1.06 (1.04–1.09). IRRs for moderate- and high-risk contacts were higher on Memorial Day, IRR (95% CI) = 1.16 (1.00–1.33), Sunday (reference), and 6 pm to 11:59 pm (reference). Conclusions: The initiation of emergency dispatches fluctuates over time and were highest during Labor Day and Independence Day, weekends, and evenings. Moderate- and high-risk contact also fluctuate over time and were highest on Memorial Day, Sundays, and midnight to 5:59 am. VCL policy makers can use knowledge of temporal fluctuations to allocate public health resources for increased efficiency and greatest impact; however, additional research on temporal stability and generalizability is needed.
KW - crisis line
KW - emergency dispatch
KW - prevention
KW - suicide
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U2 - 10.1111/sltb.12962
DO - 10.1111/sltb.12962
M3 - Article
C2 - 37032606
AN - SCOPUS:85152271382
SN - 0363-0234
VL - 53
SP - 538
EP - 545
JO - Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior
JF - Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior
IS - 4
ER -