INVOLUNTARY HOSPITALISATION

Abstract

BACKGROUND The aim of our study was to determine the number of patients admitted to the psychiatrichospital involuntarily. Further, patients who were treated involuntarily were compared tothe patients that were not allowed to be treated involuntarily according to the court rule. METHODS In observational study we included all patients admitted to the Psychiatric Hospital Vojnik(PB Vojnik) involuntarily over a 1-year period (January 2006 to December 2006). RESULTS We had 9.5 % involuntary admissions (115/1204) in Psychiatric Hospital Vojnik in year2006. (63 %) patients were not allowed to be treated involuntarily and 40 (37 %) patientswere allowed to be treated involuntarily according to the court rule. Majority of patients(80 %) involuntarily admitted didn’t take any drugs on admission. The diagnosis ofschizophrenia was made in 47 patients (44 %) and it was also most frequent diagnosis.68 % of patients were aggressive before admission. Witnesses were called to testimony onproceedings in 22 (20 %) of cases. 33 (30 %) patients were positive on psychoactive drugsor alcohol on admission.Admission diagnosis, data about agression before hospitalisation and testimony of witnesses didn’t have a significant influence on court decision. But there were significantly morereadmissions during one year period following discharge among patients that were nottreated involuntarily compared to patients that were treated involuntarily based on legalcriteria (21 versus 8; p = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS In our study we found out discrepancy between legal and clinical criteria about involuntary hospitalization. Patients discharged on legal criteria, rather than clinical, hadmarkedly more readmissions during the next year, and that results in worse outcome