Authors
Sean R. McClellan, Meaghan Hunt, Lauren E. W. Olsho, Amrita Dasgupta, Mifta Chowdhury, and Alicia C. Sparks: Abt Global
Behavioral health helplines help individuals who may not use other behavioral health services or who need immediate support. Studies of helplines have found high customer satisfaction and suggest short-term reductions in suicides, distress, and hopelessness.
Researchers know less about the long-term effects.
In this study for the New York City Mayor’s Office of Economic Opportunity (NYC Opportunity), Abt surveyed users of NYC Well, a 24/7 behavioral health helpline, roughly two weeks after contacting the helpline and again six months after to assess user experiences and changes in psychological distress, factors associated with user experiences, and mental health outcomes. The study found that behavioral health helplines can offer beneficial services to diverse populations, complementing the formal behavioral healthcare system.
The findings include:
- 89 percent of respondents reported that contacting the helpline helped them deal a little or a lot more effectively with their problems
- Rates of psychological distress decreased from 41.3% two weeks following helpline contact to 29.0% six months after
- Improvements in psychological distress occurred across a range of demographic characteristics and increased most for repeat users
- Users reported broadly positive experiences with the helpline and improved psychological distress six months later.
Read More
Articles on Behavioral Health
Association between SARS-CoV-2 Infections during Pregnancy and Preterm Live Birth
How has SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) affected birth outcomes for pregnant persons, and is there a correlation between SARS-CoV-2 infections and preterm live birth? More than three years after the start of the pandemic, researchers are still looking for – and finding – answers. While many studies state that most SARS-CoV-2 infections during pregnancy are mild, others have reported associations between prenatal COVID-19 and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Researchers aim to better inform and advise pregnant persons on the risks of prenatal SARS-CoV-2 infections on newborns, especially as different variants continue to emerge.During August 2020–October 2021 the Epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in Pregnancy and Infancy (ESPI) study enrolled a cohort of pregnant women at less than 28 weeks gestation at three U.S. medical centers in Salt Lake City, UT; New York City, NY; and Birmingham, AL. Participants were followed with systematic surveillance until the end of their pregnancies, self-collecting and returning weekly nasal swab specimens. Additional swab specimens were collected when the particpants experienced any onset of COVID-like symptoms: fever, cough, shortness of breath, etc. Those enrolled also provided blood samples to test for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies as evidence of infection.Among 954 participants with a live birth, 185 (19%) had evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection during their pregnancy and 123 (13%) had preterm births. Overall, there was no significant association between preterm birth and SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy. While the infections studied in this analysis were predominantly deemed mild and/or asymptomatic, COVID-19 vaccination for pregnant persons remains important to prevent severe infections that may be associated with additional complications.Take a deeper dive into this publication to learn more!
Decreases in inpatient hospitalizations from a technology-based, integrated behavioral health crisis response system: an evaluation of the Grand Response Access Network on Demand (GRAND) Model
This article showcases behavioral health crisis program, GRAND Model, which was found to be effective in reducing inpatient hospitalizations in Oklahoma.
Neutralizing Antibody Responses to mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines versus SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Pregnant Women and Vaccine Induced Antibody Transfer to Infants
Pregnant women with two COVID-19 vaccine doses have vaccine-induced antibodies, a CDC study co-written by Abt shows, but antibodies transferred to infants wane quickly.
Assessment of Neurodevelopment in Infants With and Without Exposure to Asymptomatic or Mild Maternal SARS-CoV-2 Infection During Pregnancy
This study found no association between asymptomatic or mild COVID-19 cases among pregnant individuals and infant neurodevelopment.