[A study of involuntary treatment in psychiatric hospitals]

Research revealed that the only documented form of forced treatment was the use of mechanical restraining of patients. The frequency and circumstances of restraining patients were highly dependent on, among others, the structure of employment of hospital personnel. Research was conducted on 6962 patients from 6 psychiatric hospitals. It was revealed that during a month mechanical restraint was used with 5.5% of the patients. This percentage wavered from 1.6% to 8% in different hospitals. Isolation was not used at all. The frequency and circumstances of using force was significantly related to age, sex, marital status, the length of hospitalization and the diagnosis of the patient. Furthermore, the number of staff and the structure of employment in particular hospitals was important.