Association between race and socioeconomic factors and suicide-related 911 call rate. (August 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: O'Connell, Katherine L.; Jacobson, Samantha V.; Ton, Andrew T.; Law, Keyne C.
• Is Part Of: Social science & medicine. Volume 306(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-08
• Subjects: Suicide -- 911 -- Geospatial analysis -- Help-seeking -- Crisis -- Intervention; Social medicine -- Periodicals; Medical anthropology -- Periodicals; Public health -- Periodicals; Psychology -- Periodicals; Medicine -- Periodicals; Medicine -- Periodicals; Médecine sociale -- Périodiques; Anthropologie médicale -- Périodiques; Santé publique -- Périodiques; Psychologie -- Périodiques; Médecine -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 362.105
• DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.115106
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0277-9536

Abstract

Abstract: The American 911 emergency call system fulfills a unique role in preventing suicide and is universally available to all residents suffering a mental health crisis. Previous studies have found disparities between socioeconomic and racial groups in mental health treatment and in help-seeking behaviors. However, very few studies have analyzed disparities in the use of the 911 system for mental health or suicidal crises. The present study conducted negative binomial regression analyses to determine if an increase in suicide-related 911 call rate is associated with race and socioeconomic characteristics in Western King County, Washington. We used the geographic locations of 4823 suicide-related calls from January 2019 to June 2020 to contrast against 2019 demographic data from the Census Bureau. We found increased percentage of Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC), residents relying on private health insurance, and lower education levels were associated with a decreased suicide-related 911 call rate. We found residents relying on public health insurance to be associated with an increased suicide-related 911 call rate. Future research should explore how residents use 911 in mental health crises to further improve public suicide prevention efforts. Our findings demonstrate how areas with poor health care options may rely more on the 911 system amidst a suicidal crisis. Highlights: Explores associations between socioeconomic and race factors and suicide-related 911 call rate. Increased call rate associated with use of public health insurance. Mixed results but suggests BIPOC individuals use 911 less for suicidal crisis.