Compulsory admissions to psychiatric hospitals in Norway - international comparisons and regional variations

Abstract

Internationally there has been a long debate regarding the use, and potential misuse, of coercion in psychiatry. One of the topics that has gained most attention is compulsory admissions. Only a few studies have published cross-country comparisons on the magnitude of compulsory admissions. This study presents data on voluntary and compulsory admissions to psychiatric hospitals in Norway in 1996. Approx 47% of all admissions were compulsory, and the rates were 147 per 100 000 inhabitants. These are both high figures compared to other countries. Regarding patient characteristics, our study confirms the international findings in most fields, except for a higher proportion of women and nonpsychotic patients admitted compulsory. The observed substantial regional differences in compulsory admission are primarily explained by variations in diagnoses. Whether the recent changes in the Norwegian Mental Health Act will reduce these figures are discussed.