Involuntary Hospitalization in a Mental Health Unit in 2014

Abstract

Objectives

Deliver a detailed analysis of the mental distortions, which led to involuntary hospitalization in a mental health unit in 2014 and their gender distribution.

Method

We analyze the total number of hospitalizations in our mental health hospital unit. From the patient registry, we extract the type of hospitalizations (voluntary or involuntary), the diagnosis and the gender.

Results

In our analysis, we find a total of 315 hospitalizations. One hundred and fifty-nine (50.48%) of them are voluntary, 150 (47.62%) are involuntary and 6 (1.90%) are a result of a judicial order. From the total involuntary hospitalizations, 81 patients were diagnosed as psychotics disorders (60%), 34 (25.18%) affective disorders, 11 (8.14%) personality disorders, 3 (2.22%) adaptative disorders, 2 (1.48%) mental retardation and 2 (1.48%) autism spectrum disorders.

Conclusions

According to article 763 of Spanish Procedural Law (Ley 1/2000 de Enjuiciamiento Civil) from the 7th of January: “The hospitalization of a person due to mental disorders who is not in a condition to decide for himself/herself, even should he/she be a subject to parental authority or guardianship, shall require court authorization, which shall be obtained from the court of the place of residence of the person affected by such hospitalization.” For this reason the involuntary admission is considered as an exceptional and necessary measure, which is limited in time.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.