Telephone counselling in coping with the COVID-19 lockdown consequences: preliminary data

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Public Health
• Telemedicine

Background:

• Biella, Italy, has historically high suicide rates, exacerbated by financial stressors and the COVID-19 pandemic.
• COVID-19 lockdown measures increased stress and vulnerability, necessitating new mental health support strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a telephone counseling service for suicide prevention during the COVID-19 lockdown.
• To assess the suitability and utility of remote interventions for individuals in suicidal crisis.

Main Methods:

• A telephone counseling service was implemented with four phases: psychoeducation, emotional stabilization, resource identification, and session ending.
• Interventions focused on rapid therapeutic response, psychological support, and stress mitigation for vulnerable populations.

Main Results:

• The service provided rapid therapeutic responses, psychological support, and reassurance, mitigating stress and reinforcing resilience.
• Remote emotional stabilization techniques proved effective, offering continuity of care and reducing emergency department pressure.
• High patient satisfaction and good outcomes were achieved, demonstrating the utility of the remote service.

Conclusions:

• The COVID-19 pandemic facilitated the adoption of remote healthcare services, overcoming previous barriers.
• Telephone counseling is a suitable and useful tool for suicidal crisis prevention, offering effective support and continuity of care.
• This model demonstrated successful adaptation of in-person techniques to a remote setting, improving mental healthcare accessibility.