The dynamics of the involuntary admission in a psychiatric department of the general hospital

Background

The aim of this project is the study of the statutory frame and the parameters that rule the involuntary nursing of psychiatric patients (law. 2071/92 about psychic health "venturousness and need for psychiatric treatment as a reason for involuntary nursing".

Material and Methods

The area the research has taken place is the Dept. of psychiatric of the G.H.V, where 117 hospitalised patients, under the district attorney's office order, were studied during the year 2002, so as to ascertain the need for involuntary nursing.

Results

From the total amount of the hospitalized persons 94 patients (80.3%), fulfilled the criteria of DSM-IV for schizophrenia or mania and were sent to the mental hospital of Katerini city (sectorization); 7 patients, (6%)were suffering from alcoholic psychosis, 10 patients (9%) were suffering from psychic organic disorders(senility) and 6 of them (5.2%) were psychotic with the awareness of the disease and their treatment had to be changed to voluntary and therefore received treatment in the Dept. of Psychiatry.

Discussion

The duration of nursing of the hospitalized by the police force patients, even with their final consent to treatment is much longer in relation to the duration of the voluntary hospitalized persons of the same diagnostic category.

Stress/depression and the evaluation of the psychopathology of the involuntary hospitalized persons is higher in comparison to the voluntary ones of the same demographics elements.

It was founded smaller conmorbodity with dependence to substances to the hospitalized persons under order from the district attorney's office, compared to the voluntary hospitalized patients.

The involuntary hospitalized persons were single, middle aged, with no regular occupation, with a low supportive family environment.

Those who did not have in their case – history any former involuntary nursing in a mental hospital, exhibited better compliance to their therapy and kept satisfactory therapeutic relationship with the clinic after their release ticket.