Compulsory admission of psychiatric patients--an international comparison

The frequency of compulsory admissions to psychiatric hospitals varies considerably between countries and regions. However, the differences are partly artificial, as the figures available are not fully comparable; this is mainly owing to differing definitions of "compulsory" and the methodological shortcomings of most studies in this field. In addition, there are also clear real differences, most of which result from different legislation and administrative regulations. Characteristics of the patient that influence the risk of compulsory admission include diagnosis and certain sociodemographic and social factors. Most studies, however, are based on highly selected populations. Furthermore, the results depend heavily on the commitment frequency of a country and therefore eventually also on the restrictiveness of legislation. The lack of methodologically sound studies, internationally comparable data and internationally published information is regrettable, as international comparison and discussion would certainly be valuable, especially for countries that are in the process of re-evaluating their commitment criteria and mental health legislation.