Factors influencing compulsory admission of psychiatric patients

Abstract

SYNOPSISFrom 1 January 1984 until 30 June 1986 all 517 compulsorily admitted psychiatric patients of a well-defined mixed rural–urban catchment area in Baden-Württemberg, a southern State of the German Federal Republic, were compared with all 10232 voluntarily admitted patients. Because of the very low frequency of compulsory admissions this population can be regarded as a ‘core group’ of committed patients. In a logit analysis the characteristics distinguishing involuntary from voluntary patients can be reduced to three main factors: the diagnosis ‘schizophrenia/ paranoid disorder’, ‘masculine gender’ and the compound indicator ‘not owning a home’, the latter being mainly associated with youth, masculine gender and low occupational status. The strong association of these characteristics with the criteria ‘severity of disease’ and ‘danger to oneself and others’, both pre-requisites for compulsory admission according to the laws of most countries, is discussed.

Reducing all-cause mortality among patients with psychiatric disorders: a population-based study

“…We selected these variables, because previous studies have shown their association with either mortality or compulsory treatment. [14][15][16][17][18] We regarded cases and controls as independent, because there was no reason to believe that their outcomes were correlated in any way. 19 We initially examined associations using unadjusted odds ratios (ORs).…”

The use of Sections 2 and 3 of the Mental Health Act (1983) with older people: A prospective study

“…However, in their review of international studies investigating influential factors in compulsory admission of psychiatric patients, Riecher et al, (1991) highlight the need for care in interpreting risk of harm to self and others. Countries with lower legislative thresholds for compulsory admission appear to have people more 'dangerous to themselves or others' than with slightly less restrictive systems (p. 198).…”

“…Such factors may include the characteristics of the illness itself-the symptoms and their severity-the availability of family and social support, the physical environment of the individual and the attributes of the mental health professionals responsible for their treatment (Riecher et al, 1991;Srikumar & Orrell, 1995). Case note studies indicate that age is also an important factor in the process.…”

Clinical differences between immigrants voluntarily and involuntarily admitted to acute psychiatric units: a 3-year prospective study

“…In Norway, the percentage of immigrant patients involuntarily admitted to a psychiatric intensive unit varies considerably among the different hospitals (Bjorngaard & Heggestad 2001). The different clinical characteristics of patients, such as gender, diagnosis and age, have been associated with the use of coercion and involuntary admissions (Riecher et al . 1991, Bjorngaard & Heggestad 2001).…”