Chavan Bir Singh, Garg Rohit, Bhargava Rachna
Department of Psychiatry, Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh, India.
Indian J Med Sci. 2012 May-Jun;66(5-6):116-25.
A large number of persons with psychiatric disorders are not seeking treatment due to various reasons, thus contributing to the huge treatment gap. One of the ways to bring these people into treatment is through telephonic helplines.
Following a large number of suicides in the city of Chandigarh in 2003, The department of Psychiatry, GMCH, Chandigarh was designated as nodal center for the prevention of suicide. A 24-hour suicide prevention helpline was set up as an immediate measure to help persons in crisis. Apart from providing telephonic counseling to persons in crisis, the helpline coordinated with police, media, schools, radio stations etc., to reduce the number of suicides in the city.
Majority of the callers were males (65.93%), between 20 to 39 years old (56.34%), married (79.50%), had less than 12 years of formal education (60.68%), and were earning less than Rs. 5000/month (56.80%). 72.96% callers had contacted the mental health services for the first time. A significant number of persons (434, 13.26%) called the helpline for marital, academic, stress-related problems. Majority of the calls were received between 8 A.M. and 2 P.M. The number of suicides in the city of Chandigarh showed a decline in the following years since the helpline was set up.
The telephonic helpline seems to be a very effective way of getting persons into contact with health services. They are cost-effective, the person can maintain his confidentiality and devoid of stigma.
大量患有精神疾病的人由于各种原因未寻求治疗，从而导致了巨大的治疗缺口。让这些人接受治疗的方法之一是通过电话求助热线。
2003年昌迪加尔市发生大量自杀事件后，昌迪加尔政府医学院精神病学系被指定为预防自杀的节点中心。设立了一条24小时自杀预防求助热线作为帮助处于危机中的人的一项即时措施。除了为处于危机中的人提供电话咨询外，该求助热线还与警方、媒体、学校、广播电台等协调，以减少该市的自杀人数。
大多数来电者为男性（65.93%），年龄在20至39岁之间（56.34%），已婚（79.50%），接受正规教育少于12年（60.68%），月收入低于5000卢比（56.80%）。72.96%的来电者是首次联系心理健康服务机构。相当多的人（434人，13.26%）因婚姻、学业、压力相关问题拨打求助热线。大多数电话是在上午8点至下午2点之间接到的。自求助热线设立以来，昌迪加尔市的自杀人数在随后几年有所下降。
电话求助热线似乎是让人们与医疗服务取得联系的一种非常有效的方式。它们具有成本效益，个人可以保持隐私且无耻辱感。
