Involuntary psychiatric admissions: A retrospective study of 460 cases

Involuntary Psychiatric Hospitalization: How Patient Characteristics Affect Decision-Making

Emergency department (ED) psychiatrists face the consequential decision to pursue involuntary inpatient psychiatric admission. Research on the relationship between patient characteristics and the decision to pursue involuntary psychiatric admission is limited. Using data from 2017 to 2018 at an urban Los Angeles hospital, we used generalized linear mixed effects models to compare patients who were involuntarily admitted to inpatient psychiatry to patients who were discharged from the ED. Of 2,448 patients included in the study, 1,217 (49.7%) were involuntarily admitted to inpatient psychiatry and 1,231 (50.3%) were discharged. After controlling for sociodemographic characteristics, admitted patients were more likely to have been brought in by police, have had an organized suicide plan or recent attempt, physical signs of harm, psychosis, depression or hopelessness, lack social support, have diagnoses of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, and be administered injectable psychotropic medications. Stimulant use, a diagnosis of anxiety or developmental disorders, and recent medical ED utilization were associated with discharge. Psychiatrists pursued involuntarily psychiatric hospitalization based on factors potentially indicative of dangerousness, leaving patients, particularly those with recent substance use, without immediate access to treatment. Policies should focus on increasing follow up to high quality, voluntary outpatient mental health care.

Profiles of the Patient Who Had Compulsory Hospitalization in a District Psychiatric Hospital

OBJECTIVE

It aims to examine the profiles of patients who were treated with compulsory hospitalization between 2011 and 2015 in a district psychiatric hospital.

METHOD

In this retrospective and cohort study, hospital records gathered from 202 adult patients who were treated with compulsory hospitalization in units with a bed between 2011 and 2015 in a district psychiatric hospital were examined. In this study, profiles and socio-demographic features of the patients with compulsory hospitalization were evaluated by 23 closed-end and open-ended questions prepared by researchers. In data analysis, Monte Carlo Chi-square test and number-percentage distribution were used.

FINDINGS

57.4% of examined cases was female and mean average was 38.88±13.06. Of examined cases, 18.8% was people graduated from high school or university and it was detected that 81.7% didn't have any regular job during the compulsory hospitalization. Of which 55.9% has not gotten married and 12.4% was divorced, 48.0% of the population has been living with their parents, sibling or/and their relatives and 17.8% has been living alone or in the nursing home. Of which 59.9% of the cases which were diagnosed with psychosis, 38.1% with psychotic relapse, 22.8% with medication regulation, 22.8% with excitation (expansiveness) and 15.8% having the risk of self-mutilation and damage his/her environment were admitted to compulsory hospitalization. Of these cases, the relative or custodian of 74.2%, employee of nursing home of 9.4%, law-enforcement officers of 5.4% and medical staff of 4.0% gave hospitalization approval. While not having any history for alcohol-substance abuse, it was established that 10.9% of the population had a problematic juridical records. Of the cases, hospitalization of 75.7% came to end with recovery/discharge and 20.3% was over with the demand of his/her relative/custodian, 1.5% of the cases escaped from the hospital.

CONCLUSION

Patients whose majority was female, person who has never gotten married or was divorced and has low educational level don't have any regular job and live with their relatives. In addition, their relatives made the majority of these patients admit to hospital because of the history of psychotic diagnose and psychotic relapses. According to these results, it is recommended that patients will receive an effective treatment in order to protect the right to decide their own treatment.

Sex differences in first-admission psychiatric inpatients with and without a comorbid substance use disorder

OBJECTIVES

We assessed sex differences in a sample of first-admission psychiatric inpatients with and without comorbid substance use disorder (SUD) to identify possible risk factors and targets for sex-tailored treatment interventions.

METHODS

A retrospective study of first admissions to the University Psychiatry Ward, "Maggiore della Carità" Hospital, Novara, Italy, between 2003 and 2012 was accomplished. The clinical charts of patients with (N = 362) and without comorbid SUD (N = 1111) were reviewed.

RESULTS

Differences in employment, educational, and marital statuses were found between male and female psychiatric patients with and without comorbid SUD. Having a degree was a protective factor for males, whereas it was a risk factor for females. Being divorced and having family problems were both risk factors for comorbidity in females. Regarding the diagnosis, results overlapped in males and females, and both affective and other disorders were risk factors for a comorbid SUD.

CONCLUSIONS

A significant difference between male and female psychiatric patients with a comorbid SUD was the males' overall poorer psychosocial functioning. Marital status and family problems were risk factors for comorbid SUD in females. Both males and females showed various pathways of access to and choices of substances and, eventually, experienced different impacts on their lives. Hospitalization might help to set up a targeted intervention for patients with comorbidity, while accounting for sex differences. With respect to males, a treatment approach focused on the substance alone might help improve their functioning; females might have a greater benefit from a treatment approach focused on distress, family problems, and relational issues.

Clinical and demographic differences between voluntary and involuntary psychiatric admissions in a university hospital in Brazil

To assess the frequency of involuntary psychiatric hospitalizations from 2001 to 2008 and to determine associated clinical and socio-demographic characteristics, a retrospective cohort study was conducted. Adult admission data were collected from a university hospital in Brazil. Hospitalizations were classified as voluntary (VH) or involuntary (IH). Groups were compared using chi-square test for categorical variables and Mann-Whitney test for continuous non-parametric variables. The relative risk of certain events was estimated by the odds ratio statistic. Of 2,289 admissions, 13.3% were IH. The proportion of IH increased from 2.5% to 21.2% during the eight year period. IH were more frequently associated with female gender, unmarried status, unemployment, and more than 9 years of schooling. Psychotic symptoms were more common among IH. There were no differences in age, duration of hospitalization, or rate of attendance at first appointment after hospital discharge. Understanding of the characteristics associated with IH is necessary to improve the treatment of psychiatric disorders.

Predictors of involuntary hospitalizations to acute psychiatry

INTRODUCTION

There is little knowledge of predictors for involuntary hospitalizations in acute psychiatric units.

METHOD

The Multi-center study of Acute Psychiatry included all cases of acute consecutive psychiatric admissions in twenty acute psychiatric units in Norway, representing about 75% of the acute psychiatric units during 2005-2006. Data included admission process, rating of Global Assessment of Functioning and Health of the Nation Outcome Scales.

RESULTS

Fifty-six percent were voluntary and 44% involuntary hospitalized. Regression analysis identified contact with police, referral by physicians who did not know the patient, contact with health services within the last 48 h, not living in own apartment or house, high scores for aggression, level of hallucinations and delusions, and contact with an out-of office clinic within the last 48 h and low GAF symptom score as predictors for involuntary hospitalization. Involuntary patients were older, more often male, non-Norwegian, unmarried and had lower level of education. They more often had disability pension or received social benefits, and were more often admitted during evenings and nights, found to have more frequent substance abuse and less often responsible for children and were less frequently motivated for admission. Involuntary patients had less contact with psychiatric services before admission. Most patients were referred because of a deterioration of their psychiatric illness.

CONCLUSION

Involuntary hospitalization seems to be guided by the severity of psychiatric symptoms and factors "surrounding" the referred patient. Important factors seem to be male gender, substance abuse, contact with own GP, aggressive behavior, and low level of social functioning and lack of motivation. There was a need for assistance by the police in a significant number of cases. This complicated picture offers some important challenges to the organization of primary and psychiatric health services and a need to consider better pathways to care.

Crisis intervention and acute psychiatry in Amsterdam, 20 years of change: a historical comparison of consultations in 1983 and 2004-2005

AIM

There has been a striking increase in the number of compulsory admission proceedings in the Netherlands since 1992, to such an extent that treatment in Amsterdam's psychiatric clinics is in danger of being dominated by coercive treatment. Our aim was to establish a picture of the changes in emergency psychiatry that have contributed to the increase in the number of acute compulsory admissions.

METHODS

A cohort (N = 460) of psychiatric emergency consultations with the city crisis service in 1983 was compared with a similar cohort (N = 436) in 2004-2005. The study focused on the following variables: patient characteristics, crisis-service procedures and consultation outcomes.

RESULTS

Compared with 1983, there are now more services involved in crisis support in the public domain for psychiatric patients. The number of patients referred by the police has risen from 29% to 63%. In 1983, all consultations took place where the patients were located; at present, 60% take place at the crisis service premises. The number of psychotic patients in the cohort has increased from 52.0% and 63.3 %. There has been an increase in the proportion of compulsory admissions and a sharp decrease in the proportion of voluntary admissions from 61% to 28% of all admissions. Overall, the percentage of consultations leading to a psychiatric admission has fallen from 42% to 27%.

CONCLUSION

The front-line outreach service of 1983 has changed into a specialist psychiatric emergency department with a less pronounced outreach component. Voluntary admissions to psychiatric hospitals have almost disappeared as a feature of the crisis service.