How do frequent users of crisis helplines differ from other users regarding their reasons for calling? Results from a survey with callers to Lifeline, Australia's national crisis helpline service.

Crisis helplines are designed to provide short-term support to people in an immediate crisis. However, there is a group of users who call crisis helplines frequently over an extended period of time. The reasons for their ongoing use remain unclear.

The experiences of frequent users of crisis helplines: A qualitative interview study.

Objective: To understand why some users call crisis helplines frequently.

Methods: Nineteen semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with callers to Lifeline Australia who reported calling 20 times or more in the past month and provided informed consent. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim.

Frequent callers to telephone helplines: new evidence and a new service model.

Background: This paper describes a program of work designed to inform a service model to address a challenge for telephone helplines, namely frequent callers.

Methods: We conducted a systematic literature review and four empirical studies that drew on different data sources-(a) routinely collected calls data from Lifeline, Australia's largest telephone helpline; (b) data from surveys/interviews with Lifeline frequent callers; (c) data from the Diagnosis, Management and Outcomes of Depression in Primary Care (diamond) study; and (d) data from Australia's National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing.

Results: Frequent callers represent 3 % of callers but make 60 % of calls.

The Health Service Use of Frequent Users of Telephone Helplines in a Cohort of General Practice Attendees with Depressive Symptoms.

We examined the relationship between frequent use of telephone helplines and health service use over time in a cohort of 789 general practice attendees with depressive symptoms. Telephone helpline use (no use, non-frequent use, frequent use) was measured at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months and analysed using ordered logistic regression. Sixteen participants (2 %) reported frequent use of telephone helplines.

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

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.

Systematic review of research into frequent callers to crisis helplines.

We conducted a systematic review of research into callers making multiple calls to crisis helplines. Two databases were searched, identifying 561 articles from 1960 until 2012, of which 63 were relevant. Twenty-one articles from 19 separate studies presented empirical data about callers making multiple calls to crisis helplines.

A trajectory-based approach to understand the factors associated with persistent depressive symptoms in primary care.

Background: Depression screening in primary care yields high numbers. Knowledge of how depressive symptoms change over time is limited, making decisions about type, intensity, frequency and length of treatment and follow-up difficult. This study is aimed to identify depressive symptom trajectories and associated socio-demographic, co-morbidity, health service use and treatment factors to inform clinical care.

Tap into Good Teeth--a Western Australian pilot study of children's drinking patterns.

Unlabelled: ISSUED ADDRESSED: The increase trend in the prevalence of dental caries in Australian children is a concern to public health professionals. Attitudes, behaviours and lifestyle patterns established in childhood are often carried throughout adult life. The objective of the study was to estimate the proportion of Perth metropolitan year two public primary school children drinking tap water at home, school and play.