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Involuntary commitment in psychiatric care: what drives the decision?

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Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Psychiatric commitment laws have been reformed in many European countries. We assessed the relative importance of the different legal criteria in explaining involuntary commitment under the Belgian Mental Health Act of 1990.

Method

Psychiatric assessments were requested for 346 patients living in Brussels who were randomly selected from a larger group and were being considered for involuntary commitment. A retrospective study of these patients’ files was carried out.

Results

More than half of the requests for involuntary commitment were turned down. The lack of a less restrictive alternative form of care was the criterion most crucial in decisions in favour of commitment. Alternative forms of care were more likely to be unavailable for psychotic individuals, foreigners, and patients not living in a private household.

Conclusion

Involuntary commitment is mainly due to the inability of the mental health care system to provide more demanding patients with alternative forms of care.

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Acknowledgment

Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique Collective, grant F 5/4/5 –OL-ME 127 ;

VD received an unrestricted grant from Astra Zeneca.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Public Health School, Faculty of Medicine, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain, Belgium

    Vincent Lorant

  2. Crisis Unit of the Saint-Luc Clinics, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain, Belgium

    Caroline Depuydt, Benoit Gillain & Vincent Dubois

  3. Clos chapelle aux champs 30.49, 1200, Brussels, Belgium

    Vincent Dubois

  4. Institute of Statistics, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain, Belgium

    Alain Guillet

Authors
  1. Vincent Lorant
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  2. Caroline Depuydt
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  3. Benoit Gillain
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  4. Alain Guillet
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  5. Vincent Dubois
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Vincent Dubois.

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Lorant, V., Depuydt, C., Gillain, B. et al. Involuntary commitment in psychiatric care: what drives the decision?. Soc Psychiat Epidemiol 42, 360–365 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-007-0175-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-007-0175-2

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