Journal Article

Satisfaction and Mental Health Outcomes Associated with a Large Regional Helpline

Olsho, Lauren E. W., McClellan, Sean R., Chowdhury, Mifta, Dasgupta, Amrita, Sparks, Alicia C., Hunt, Meaghan

2022

Overview

We surveyed users of a behavioral health helpline serving New York City and surroundings, to assess their helpline experiences, changes in psychological distress after contacting the helpline, and factors associated with differences in these measures. We surveyed users twice: roughly 2 weeks following their helpline contact, from 4/2019 to 9/2019 (N = 1097 respondents) and again 6 months following contact, from 10/2019 to 3/2020 (N = 732 respondents). Eighty-nine percent of respondents reported that contacting the helpline helped them deal a little or a lot more effectively with their problems. Rates of psychological distress decreased from 41.3% 2 weeks following helpline contact to 29.0% 6 months after (P < 0.05). Improvements in psychological distress were found across a range of demographic characteristics and were greatest for repeat users. Users reported broadly positive experiences with the helpline and improved psychological distress 6 months later. Behavioral health helplines can offer beneficial services to diverse populations, complementing the formal behavioral healthcare system.

• Publisher: Springer US,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Community and Environmental Psychology / Crisis intervention / Demography / Drug abuse / Drug use / Health behavior / Health care industry / Health services / Health status / Helplines / Medicine / Medicine & Public Health / Mental disorders / Mental health / Mental health care / Mental health services / Original Paper / Peer tutoring / Polls & surveys / Psychiatry / Psychological distress / Recruitment / Respondents / Satisfaction / Substance abuse treatment / Suicides & suicide attempts