Citation

Iqbal Y, Jahan R, Matin MR. Asian J. Psychiatry 2019; 45: 63-65.

Affiliation

Kaan Pete Roi Emotional Support and Suicide Prevention Helpline, Block C, Lalmatia, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Electronic address: muhtasabbib@gmail.com.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.ajp.2019.09.005

PMID

31520881

Abstract

Although crisis helplines are an established method of suicide prevention, there is little research on their operation in developing countries. This paper reviews calls (N = 14,344) to the only suicide prevention hotline in Bangladesh during the first five years of the helpline's operation. Call characteristics were recorded on checklists, compiled, and analyzed.

RESULTS indicate that callers are about half male, mostly between the ages of twenty and thirty-nine, and mostly not suicidal. Callers display a wide range of reasons for calling, with relationship issues, mental illness/substance abuse, and emotions constituting the majority of calls.

Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Bangladesh; Call descriptions; Helpline; Prevention; Suicide