Senior Data Analyst/ PhD student Boston University School of Public Health Providence, Rhode Island, United States
Body of Abstract: Research
Aims: The Veteran Crisis Line (VCL) added text capabilities in 2011 to expand suicide prevention services, however, it is unclear whether contact termination differs by contact type. This evaluation assessed whether contact resolution (contact ended normally, contact terminated by user, emergency dispatch/welfare check, or arrangement for same-day care) varies by contact type after accounting for Veterans’ sociodemographic and clinical characteristics.
Methods: We analyzed VCL phone and text contacts regarding identified Veteran Health Administration enrollees between 2016 and 2021. Using inverse probability of treatment weighting, we balanced user characteristics (age, sex, race, ethnicity, marital status, region; alcohol/substance use disorders, depression; healthcare use, and suicide-related events) and employed weighted multinomial logistic regression to examine the average treatment effect of contacting VCL by text versus call on contact resolutions.
Results: Our results showed that text contacts were associated with 3.39 percentage point (PP) (95% CI, 3.27-3.50; P < 0.001) lower likelihood of receiving an emergency dispatch/welfare check, 2.65 PP (95% CI, 2.55-2.76; P < 0.001) lower likelihood of requiring an arrangement for same-day care, and 9.47 (95% CI, 9.34-9.59; P < 0.001) PP higher likelihood of being terminated by the users compared to phone contacts.
Conclusion: These findings suggest that text contacts to VCL were more likely to be terminated by users and less likely to result in emergency services. Further investigation is needed to understand if contact type is associated with morbidity and mortality outcomes, and to examine the reasons for terminating contact among those who contact VCL via text.
Learning Objectives:
At the conclusion of this presentation, the participants will be able to describe the potential differences in contact outcomes by Veterans who contacted the VCL by phone calls versus texts.
At the conclusion of this presentation, the participants will be able to describe the difference in participant characteristics between those who contacted the VCL by phone calls and texts.
At the conclusion of this presentation, the participants will be able to explain the potential mechanisms of the differences in contact outcomes by phone calls and texts.
