Effectiveness of Telephone-Delivered Interventions Following Suicide Attempts: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate efficacy of telephone-delivered interventions following suicide attempts.

Methods: Systematic review, meta-analysis, and narrative synthesis.

Results: Five papers evaluating telephone interventions were included. Three studies provided suicide attempters with telephone contact intervention, and two studies provided deliberate self-harm patients with crisis cards to help after discharge. Meta-analyses showed that telephone contact intervention did not significantly reduce further suicide attempts and completed suicides, and the crisis card did not significantly reduce further deliberate self-harm.

Conclusion: Telephone-delivered interventions have been suggested as an alternative to face-to-face psychotherapy, but their effectiveness in reducing the recurrence of suicide attempts is not supported.