# Strengthening Suicide Prevention Efforts for Women Veterans through the Veterans Crisis Line

> **NIH VA I01** · PHILADELPHIA VA MEDICAL CENTER · 2024 · —

## Abstract

Background. The suicide rate among women Veterans has increased substantially in recent years,
particularly among younger women and those with limited or no engagement in Veterans Health Administration
(VHA) care. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has invested extensive resources toward preventing
suicide among Veterans, including through the Veterans Crisis Line (VCL). Prior research on Veteran suicide
prevention and VCL use has focused largely on male Veterans. However, research has identified potentially
unique characteristics associated with suicide risk among women Veterans and a need for further investigation
into how to best meet the suicide prevention needs of this population.
Significance/Impact. The objective of this research is to understand and develop recommendations to better
address the suicide prevention needs of women Veterans who utilize the Veterans Crisis Line (VCL). Findings
from this study will inform recommendations for strengthening crisis intervention services to prevent suicide
among women Veterans.
Innovation. The proposed multi-method study will focus on the understudied and vulnerable population of
women Veterans who contact the VCL. We will analyze the rich yet largely unexamined data collected by the
VCL on user and call characteristics, merge VCL data with VHA medical record data for callers who also
access VHA services, and conduct in-depth interviews with women Veteran VCL users to obtain more detailed
understanding of their experiences and perspectives. Findings will inform efforts to better tailor VCL services
to, and increase engagement of, high-risk women Veterans.
Specific Aims. The specific aims are to: (1) describe and compare the demographic and VCL contact
characteristics (reason for call, call outcome, and VCL risk rating) among female and male Veteran VCL users;
(2) examine the relationship between VCL contact characteristics (risk rating, referral, identified needs) and
subsequent fatal and non-fatal suicidal self-directed violence (S-SDV), assessing for variation by Veteran
gender, among female and male Veteran VCL users who use VHA services; (3) understand women Veterans’
experiences with and recommendations regarding VCL services, including the use of VCL as a resource for
both acute and more upstream suicide prevention.
Methodology. This mixed-methods study will utilize (a) administrative data from the VCL, VHA, and Suicide
Data Repository (SDR); and (b) semi-structured interviews with women Veterans who have utilized the VCL.
To address Aim 1, we will conduct statistical analysis of VCL data for prior-year Veteran users with identified
gender (approximately 330,000 contacts per year), comparing demographic and VCL contact characteristics
(reason for contact, severity rating, and contact resolution/referral) by gender. For Aim 2, we will merge VCL
data with VHA health records and SDR data to assess relationships between VCL risk rating and suicidal
ideation, suicide attempts, and suicid...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10213836
- **Project number:** 5I01HX002983-02
- **Recipient organization:** PHILADELPHIA VA MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Melissa E Dichter
- **Activity code:** I01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** VA
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** —
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-07-01 → 2024-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10213836

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10213836, Strengthening Suicide Prevention Efforts for Women Veterans through the Veterans Crisis Line (5I01HX002983-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10213836. Licensed CC0.

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