Rapid E-mail Response to First-Contact E-mails Increases Consultation Continuation Rates for Suicide Prevention

抄録

Online gatekeeping is a psychological consultation service using e-mail intended for Internet users with suicide risk. One of the problems is that some users do not respond to initial contact e-mails sent. This research aimed to clarify the relation between continuation rate of the service and the reply speed to user’s first-contact e-mails. Specified Nonprofit Corporation OVA received initial mails from 324 people from June 2017 to June 2018, out of which 23 replies were error e-mails, and 11 people were not covered by our services; therefore, 290 users participated. We conducted a chi-square test to assess the association between three types of reply speed (within 12 h, between 12 and 24 h, and 24 h or more) and the consultation continuation rate. Reply speed for the e-mails arriving between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. was related to consultation continuation: responses sent within 12 hours and those sent in over 12 hours produced continuation rates of over 70% and approximately 44%, respectively. Help-seeking intention of users with high-risk of suicide might begin to decline after they have waited for the reply from consultants for more than 12 hours. This study contributes to effectiveness of future suicide prevention consultation using media. Systems that consultants to reply to first-contact e-mails within 12 hours are important for initiation and continuation of consultation for suicide prevention.