Who is reported missing from Canadian hospitals and mental health units?

Abstract

PurposeInternational literature on missing persons suggests that a significant volume of missing person cases originate from hospitals and mental health units, resulting in considerable costs and resource demands on both police and health sectors (e.g., Bartholomew et al., 2009; Sowerby and Thomas, 2017). In the Canadian context, however, very little is known about patients reported missing from these locations – a knowledge deficit with profound implications in terms of identifying and addressing risk factors that contribute to this phenomenon. The present study is one such preliminary attempt to try to fill a significant research and policy gap.Design/methodology/approachThe authors draw on data from a sample of 8,261 closed missing person reports from a Canadian municipal police service over a five-year period (2013–2018). Using multiple logistic regression, the authors identify, among other factors, who is most likely to be reported missing from these locations.FindingsResults reveal that several factors, such as mental disabilities, senility, mental illness and addiction, are significantly related to this phenomenon. In light of these findings, the authors suggest that there is a need to develop comprehensive strategies and policies involving several stakeholders, such as health care and social service organizations, as well as the police.Originality/valueEach year, thousands of people go missing in Canada with a large number being reported from hospitals and mental health units, which can be burdensome for the police and health sectors in terms of human and financial resource allocation. Yet, very little is known about patients reported missing from health services – a knowledge deficit with profound implications in terms of identifying and addressing risk factors that contribute to this phenomenon. This manuscript seeks to remedy this gap in Canadian missing persons literature by exploring who goes missing from hospitals and mental health units.

Profiling persons reported missing from hospitals versus mental health facilities

“…Generally, those with a mental disability and/or senility account for more missing person reports than any other documented health characteristic ( n = 406; 44.3%). This could be explained by the growing aging population in Canada, resulting in several adults with cognitive impairments (Ferguson & Huey, 2020), or might represent a high number of people with mental disorders at such settings.…”

“…Focusing on policing implications, research from the UK and Australia highlight that, specific to hospitals and mental health settings, police are implicated in returning over one-third of persons missing from hospitals (Bartholomew et al, 2009; Bowers et al, 1998; Dickens and Campbell, 2001; Meehan et al, 1999; Muir-Cochrane and Mosel, 2008; Wilkie et al, 2014). In Canada, recent research advances that around 12% of all missing person cases reported to the police are initiated by hospitals and mental health units (Ferguson & Huey, 2020). The volume of cases originating from such locations accrues an estimated cost for policing in the UK of around £879,060 per year (Hayden and Shalev-Greene, 2018; Shalev Greene and Pakes, 2013), which is over $1,500,000 CAD.…”

“… 1. As an example of why these classifications can be important, a recent study by Huey et al (2020) found that “habitual/chronic” missing person cases ranged from three previous missing person reports to 144 prior reports. …”

#Defund or #Re-Fund?: Re-Examining Bayley’s Blueprint for Police Reform

“…Third, even though greater investment in upstream, preventative services would theoretically relieve the police from the responsibility to respond to an array of social problems, it would not completely absolve them of the responsibility. Mental health diagnoses, for example, are a significant predictor for select missing persons cases (Ferguson & Huey, 2020). Given that missing persons are a police responsibility, the police would likely be placed in a position to come into contact with these individuals when found, and it would not be implausible to assume that a small proportion of these contacts may even occur within the context of a mental health crisis.…”

How far do they go?: A spatial examination of missing persons from hospitals

“…particular social groups being more at-risk when missing so police frontload resources and resolve cases quicker before they travel far), a number of social and health issues the social groups interact with affecting these incidents (e.g. differences in mental, physical and cognitive capabilities affecting travelling), policing response to each case differing and, ultimately, a slew of other potential reasons (Gibb and Woolnough, 2007;Shalev et al, 2009;Hansen and Dim, 2019;Doyles and Barnes, 2020;Ferguson and Huey, 2020;Ferguson, 2021). This points to the need for additional research unpacking the mechanisms impacting the spatial behaviour patterns of missing people, especially from hospitals.…”