@article{ref1,
title="Predictive value of suicidal risk assessment using data from China's largest suicide prevention hotline",
journal="Journal of affective disorders",
year="2023",
author="Tong, Yongsheng and Yin, Yi and Conner, Kenneth R. and Zhao, Liting and Wang, Yuehua and Wang, Xuelian and Conwell, Yeates",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Suicide hotlines are widely used, with potential for identification of callers at especially high risk. <br><br>METHODS: This prospective study was conducted at the largest psychological support hotline in China. From 2015 to 2017, all distressed callers were consecutively included and assessed, using a standardized scale consisting of 12 elements, yielding scores of high risk (8-16), moderate risk (4-7), and low risk (0-3) for suicidal act. All high-risk and half of moderate- and low-risk callers were scheduled for a 12-month follow-up. Main outcomes were suicidal acts (nonlethal attempt, death) over follow-up. <br><br>RESULTS: Of 21,346 fully assessed callers, 5822, 11,791, and 3733 were classified as high-, moderate-, or low-risk for suicidal acts, with 8869 callers (4076 high-, 3258 moderate-, and 1535 low-risk) followed up over 12 months. Over follow-up, 802 (9.0 %) callers attempted suicide or died by suicide. The high-risk callers (15.1 %) had 3-fold higher risk for subsequent suicidal acts than moderate- (5.1 %) and 12-fold higher risk than low-risk callers (1.3 %). The weighted sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value of high risk scores were 56.4 %, 74.9 %, and 14.4 %. LIMITATIONS: Assessed callers with different risk levels were followed disproportionally. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Suicidal risk assessment during a hotline call is both feasible and predictive of risk, guiding resource allocation to higher risk callers.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0165-0327",
doi="10.1016/j.jad.2023.02.095",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2023.02.095"
}