Gender differences in use of suicide crisis hotlines: a scoping review of current literature

Abstract

Purpose Little is known about the gender profile of callers to crisis hotlines, despite distinct gender differences in suicide risk and behavior. The authors assessed current knowledge of the role of caller gender in the use of crisis hotlines for suicide, specifically whether there are differences in frequency, reason for call and caller outcomes by gender. Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted a scoping literature review of peer-reviewed studies published since 2000 in Medline, PubMed and PsychInfo, examining a total of 18 articles based on 16 studies. Findings Overall, women represent a higher percentage of calls to crisis hotlines worldwide, despite men having higher rates of suicide. Primary reasons for calling hotlines were the same for men and women, regardless of geography or culture. When gender differences in reason for call were reported, they were consistent with literature documenting gender differences in the prevalence of risk factors for suicide, including higher rates of substance use among men and higher instances of domestic violence/abuse among women. Research limitations/implications There was variability in the studies the authors examined. This review was limited to research on crisis telephone hotlines and did not include text or chat services. Due to data reporting, the findings are constrained to reporting on a male/female gender binary. Originality/value Findings on gender differences in crisis line use suggest a need for continued research in this area to determine how to best meet the needs of callers of all genders.