Involuntary admission from the patients' perspective

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Mental Health Law
• Patient Experience

Background:

• Involuntary admission legislation varies across EU Member States.
• Ireland's Mental Health Act 2001 introduced significant changes, including mental health tribunals.
• Tribunals review involuntary admission orders, impacting patient care and rights.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore patient perceptions of involuntary admission.
• To assess awareness of legal rights and tribunal perceptions.
• To evaluate the impact of involuntary admission on family, psychiatrist relationships, and employment prospects.

Main Methods:

• A 15-month study involving semi-structured interviews.
• Participants were patients involuntarily admitted to a Dublin hospital.
• Eighty-one patients completed the interviews.

Main Results:

• 72% believed involuntary admission was necessary, linked to better insight.
• 77.8% found their treatment beneficial.
• 45.5% accepted involuntary admission more readily due to tribunal review.
• Impacts on family relationships (27.5% negative, 15% positive) and doctor-patient relationships (26.6% negative) were noted.
• A third felt employment prospects could be affected.

Conclusions:

• The majority of patients have a positive outlook on their involuntary admission.
• Positive reflections present an opportunity to engage patients in follow-up care.
• Understanding patient perspectives is crucial for improving involuntary treatment pathways.