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Bakola M, Peritogiannis V, Kitsou KS, Gourzis P, Hyphantis T, Jelastopulu E. Length of hospital stay in involuntary admissions in Greece: a 10-year retrospective observational study. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 2024:10.1007/s00127-024-02653-x. [PMID: 38684516 DOI: 10.1007/s00127-024-02653-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE The treatment of mental disorders has shifted from inpatient wards to community-based settings in recent years, but some patients may still have to be admitted to inpatient wards, sometimes involuntarily. It is important to maintain the length of hospital stay (LoS) as short as possible while still providing adequate care. The present study aimed to explore the factors associated with the LoS in involuntarily admitted psychiatric patients. METHODS A ten-year retrospective chart review of 332 patients admitted involuntarily to the inpatient psychiatric ward of the General University Hospital of Ioannina, Northwestern Greece, between 2008 and 2017 was conducted. RESULTS The mean LoS was 23.8 (SD = 33.7) days and was relatively stable over the years. Longer-stay hospitalization was associated with schizophrenia-spectrum disorder diagnosis, previous hospitalizations and the use of mechanical restraint, whereas patients in residential care experienced significantly longer LoS (52.6 days) than those living with a caregiver (23.5 days) or alone (19.4 days). Older age at disease onset was associated with shorter LoS, whereas no statistically significant differences were observed with regard to gender. CONCLUSION While some of our findings were in line with recent findings from other countries, others could not be replicated. It seems that multiple factors influence LoS and the identification of these factors could help clinicians and policy makers to design more targeted and cost-effective interventions. The optimization of LoS in involuntary admissions could improve patients' outcomes and lead to more efficient use of resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Bakola
- Department of Public Health, Medical School, University of Patras, Rio, 26500, Patras, Greece
| | - Vaios Peritogiannis
- Mobile Mental Health Unit of the Prefectures of Ioannina and Thesprotia, Society for the Promotion of Mental Health in Epirus, Ioannina, Greece
| | | | - Philippos Gourzis
- Department of Psychiatry, Medical School, University of Patras, Patras, Greece
| | - Thomas Hyphantis
- Department of Psychiatry, Division of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Eleni Jelastopulu
- Department of Public Health, Medical School, University of Patras, Rio, 26500, Patras, Greece.
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Meroni G, Sentissi O, Kaiser S, Wullschleger A. Treatment without consent in adult psychiatry inpatient units: a retrospective study on predictive factors. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1224328. [PMID: 37636826 PMCID: PMC10447976 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1224328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Coercion is one of the most important challenges in mental health. In Switzerland, forced medication can be applied during an emergency (Art. 435 of the Civil Code) or over a longer period in case of endangerment of others or oneself (Art. 434). We aimed to analyze the predictors of this specific treatment without consent. Methods Forced medication prescriptions in the Division of Adult Psychiatry of the Geneva University Hospitals between 2018 and 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Medication under Article 434 was the main outcome variable. Age, gender, admission mode, main diagnosis, and the Health of the Nation Outcome Scales (HoNOS) score at admission were considered as potential predictors. T-test and Pearson's chi-square test were used to compare continuous and categorical variables. A logistic regression was performed to find significant predictors of forced medication. Results Seventy-one out of 4,326 inpatients were subjected to forced medication under Art. 434. HoNOS global scores at admission were not significantly different in the forced medication group compared to the control group. Aggressive behavior was lower in the former at the univariate level. Forced medication was associated at the multivariate level with female gender, involuntary admission, and psychosis. Conclusion Women suffering from psychosis are more at risk of receiving involuntary and repeated medication. The risk of deterioration in psychosocial functioning or behavioral disorganization seems to be the main argument for this coercive measure. Future studies should focus on the patient's perception of this coercion to prevent it and improve adherence to care. Follow-up after discharge might be useful to evaluate a long-term benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Meroni
- Division of Adult Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
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Aluh DO, Aigbogun O, Ukoha-Kalu BO, Silva M, Grigaitė U, Pedrosa B, Santos-Dias M, Cardoso G, Caldas-de-Almeida JM. Beyond Patient Characteristics: A Narrative Review of Contextual Factors Influencing Involuntary Admissions in Mental Health Care. Healthcare (Basel) 2023; 11:1986. [PMID: 37510426 PMCID: PMC10379438 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11141986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Variations in the rates of involuntary admission (IA) reflect the influence of unexplained contextual variables that are typically too heterogeneous to be included in systematic reviews. This paper attempts to gather and analyze factors unrelated to the patients that have been linked to IA. The articles included in this review were selected by iteratively searching four electronic databases (PubMed, PsychINFO, EMBASE, and Web of Science). A total of 54 studies from 19 different countries and regions, including 14 European countries, the United States, Canada, China, Vietnam, and Taiwan, were selected. The factors were categorized as service-related factors, impactful events, seasonal and temporal factors, mental health legislation, staff factors, and public attitudes. The factors rarely act in isolation but rather interact and reinforce each other, causing a greater influence on IA. This paper explains how these factors present opportunities for robust and sustainable interventions to reduce IAs. The paper also identifies future directions for research, such as examining the effects of economic recessions. Enhancing global reporting standards is essential to validate future research and support further in-depth studies. The complexity of the factors influencing IA and the implicit role of society suggest that resolving it will require social change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah Oyine Aluh
- Lisbon Institute of Global Mental Health (LIGMH), NOVA Medical School, NOVA University of Lisbon, 1150-082 Lisboa, Portugal
- Comprehensive Health Research Center (CHRC), NOVA Medical School, NOVA University of Lisbon, 1150-082 Lisboa, Portugal
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Management, University of Nigeria Nsukka, Nsukka 410105, Nigeria
| | - Osaro Aigbogun
- Department of Management, Marketing and Digital Business, Curtin University, Miri 98009, Malaysia
| | | | - Manuela Silva
- Lisbon Institute of Global Mental Health (LIGMH), NOVA Medical School, NOVA University of Lisbon, 1150-082 Lisboa, Portugal
- Comprehensive Health Research Center (CHRC), NOVA Medical School, NOVA University of Lisbon, 1150-082 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Ugnė Grigaitė
- Lisbon Institute of Global Mental Health (LIGMH), NOVA Medical School, NOVA University of Lisbon, 1150-082 Lisboa, Portugal
- Comprehensive Health Research Center (CHRC), NOVA Medical School, NOVA University of Lisbon, 1150-082 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Barbara Pedrosa
- Lisbon Institute of Global Mental Health (LIGMH), NOVA Medical School, NOVA University of Lisbon, 1150-082 Lisboa, Portugal
- Comprehensive Health Research Center (CHRC), NOVA Medical School, NOVA University of Lisbon, 1150-082 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Margarida Santos-Dias
- Lisbon Institute of Global Mental Health (LIGMH), NOVA Medical School, NOVA University of Lisbon, 1150-082 Lisboa, Portugal
- Comprehensive Health Research Center (CHRC), NOVA Medical School, NOVA University of Lisbon, 1150-082 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Graça Cardoso
- Lisbon Institute of Global Mental Health (LIGMH), NOVA Medical School, NOVA University of Lisbon, 1150-082 Lisboa, Portugal
- Comprehensive Health Research Center (CHRC), NOVA Medical School, NOVA University of Lisbon, 1150-082 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - José Miguel Caldas-de-Almeida
- Lisbon Institute of Global Mental Health (LIGMH), NOVA Medical School, NOVA University of Lisbon, 1150-082 Lisboa, Portugal
- Comprehensive Health Research Center (CHRC), NOVA Medical School, NOVA University of Lisbon, 1150-082 Lisboa, Portugal
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Peritogiannis V, Tsoli F, Gioti P, Bakola M, Jelastopulu E. Use of Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotics in a Clinical Sample of Community-Dwelling Patients with Schizophrenia-Spectrum Disorders in Rural Greece. J Clin Med 2023; 12:jcm12072508. [PMID: 37048591 PMCID: PMC10095177 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12072508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Data on the use of long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIs) in rural community mental healthcare settings are scarce. This study aimed to investigate the prescription patterns of LAIs in a clinical sample of patients with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders in rural Greece. All patients with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders who regularly attend the Mobile Mental Health Unit of the prefectures of Ioannina and Thesprotia (MMHU I-T) in northwestern Greece were included in the study. The sample consists of 87 patients (59 males and 28 females) with a mean age of 54.4 years and a mean illness duration of 28 years. Most patients (72.4%) received antipsychotic monotherapy, and nearly 30% received an LAI formulation, mostly a second-generation LAI (20 of 26 patients, 76.9%). The treatment regimen comprised benzodiazepines in one-third of the patients and antidepressants in one-quarter. There was no statistically significant association between treatment regimen and the clinical and demographic variables studied, except for biological sex (female). The percentage of patients treated with LAIs in this study was almost three times higher than the rate previously reported in Greece and is higher than the rates reported in other countries. Patients with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders in rural Greece may have adequate access to innovative treatment with second-generation LAIs. Further research is needed to demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of LAI treatment in rural communities and to elucidate the factors associated with such treatment.
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Huang YC, Kao LT, Liao TH, Chiu CC, Wen HC. Risk factors of involuntary referral by police to ER psychiatric services for patients with a severe mental illness: A GEE analysis. Schizophr Res 2023; 254:68-75. [PMID: 36801516 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2023.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/04/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to identify risk factors for involuntary referral by police to emergency room (ER) psychiatric services for community-based patients with a mental illness via a generalized estimating equation (GEE) analysis. The analysis was based on data from the Management Information System of Psychiatric Care (MISPC) system for patients with a severe mental illness in Taipei, Taiwan and registered referral records of the police. Data on 6378 patients aged ≥20 years were used in this study, including 164 patients who were involuntarily referred to the ER by the police and 6214 patients who were not during the period of January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2020. GEEs were utilized to explore possible risk factors of repeated involuntary referral to ER psychiatric services for patients with a severe mental illness. The logistic regressions indicated that patients defined as "severe" according to the Mental Health Act of Taiwan (crude odds ratio (OR): 3.840, 95 % confidence interval (CI): 2.407-6.126), with a disability (crude OR: 3.567, 95 % CI: 1.339-9.501), with two or more family members with a psychiatric disorder (crude OR: 1.598, 95 % CI: 1.002-2.548), with a history of a suicide attempt (crude OR: 25.582, 95 % CI: 17.608-37.167), and with a history of domestic violence (crude OR: 16.141, 95 % CI: 11.539-22.579) were positively associated with involuntary referral to ER psychiatric services. However, age (crude OR: 0.971, 95 % CI: 0.960-0.983) and the MISPC score (crude OR: 0.834, 95 % CI: 0.800-0.869) were inversely associated with involuntary referral to ER psychiatric services. After adjusting for demographics and potential confounders, we found that patients defined as "severe" (Exp (β): 3.236), with a disability (Exp (β): 3.715), with a history of a suicide attempt (Exp (β): 8.706), and with a history of domestic violence (Exp (β): 8.826), as well as age (Exp (β): 0.986) and the MISPC score (Exp (β): 0.902) remained significantly associated with repeated involuntary referral to ER psychiatric services. In conclusion, community-based mentally ill patients with a history of a suicide attempt, with a history of domestic violence, with a severe illness, and with a profound level of disability were highly associated with involuntary referral to ER psychiatric services. We suggest that community mental health case managers identify significant factors associated with involuntary referral to ER psychiatric services to accordingly arrange case management plans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y C Huang
- Department of Psychiatry, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - L T Kao
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; School of Pharmacy, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan; School of Public Health, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - T H Liao
- Department of Health, Taipei City Government, Taiwan
| | - C C Chiu
- Taipei City Psychiatric Center, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - H C Wen
- School of Healthcare Administration, College of Management, Taipei Medical University, Taiwan.
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Ma HJ, Zheng YC, Shao Y, Xie B. Status and clinical influencing factors of involuntary admission in chinese patients with schizophrenia. BMC Psychiatry 2022; 22:818. [PMID: 36544107 PMCID: PMC9769007 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-022-04480-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Though controversial for its various disadvantages, involuntary admission (IA) is necessary in providing mental health care for patients suffering from schizophrenia in China. This article examines the IA rate in a representative sample, and under which circumstances are these patients more likely to be admitted involuntarily. METHODS Adult patients consecutively admitted to two typical hospitals in Shanghai between 2013 and 2014 with a diagnosis of ICD-10 schizophrenia were included. 2167 patients were included in this study. Sociodemographic and clinical data, as well as personal information of psychiatrists who made risk assessment, were collected. The whole sample was divided into voluntary and involuntary admission groups. Group comparisons were performed with SPSS 17.0, using one-way ANOVA, Wilcoxon rank sum test, Chi-squares and Logistic regression. RESULTS Among 2167 inpatients, the majority (2003, 92.4%) were involuntarily admitted. Clinical features, including age of patients (p < 0.001, OR = 1.037), lacking of insight (p < 0.001, OR = 3.691), were statistically significant for IA. Psychiatrist's age (p < 0.001, OR = 1.042) was independently associated with IA. However, risk behaviors had dramatically affected patients' admission status, of which the strongest predictor of IA was noncompliance with treatment (p < 0.001, OR = 3.597). The areas under the curve of the ROC and accuracy for the regression model were 0.815 and 0.927, respectively. CONCLUSION IA patients account for a major proportion of all those hospitalized with schizophrenia in China. Insights and risk behaviors contributed the most reasons for admission status of patients. This research shed light on necessity of further qualitative studies learning detailed evaluation processes of IA and high-quality interventional studies aiming to limit the performance of IA among patients with schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua-Jian Ma
- grid.16821.3c0000 0004 0368 8293Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 200030 Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Yu-Chen Zheng
- grid.16821.3c0000 0004 0368 8293Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 200030 Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Yang Shao
- Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 200030, Shanghai, P. R. China.
| | - Bin Xie
- Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 200030, Shanghai, P. R. China.
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