Involuntary treatment in Europe: different countries, different practices
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Involuntary treatment is burdened by the lack of evidence. One of the challenges is the difference in practice across borders in Europe. While reviewing the current literature, a proposal of monitoring guidelines is discussed. RECENT FINDINGS: The field is characterized by a small number of dedicated researchers. A study of violence in first-episode psychosis shows that differences in criteria for involuntary admission lead to different prognosis for the patients. The most recent contributions from the cross-national EUNOMIA study point to great variation across countries, regarding frequencies of involuntary admission as well as outcome. The EUNOMIA study provides suggestions for good quality in involuntary admission. A Cochrane review has examined the evidence of involuntary community treatment compared with standard treatment. The effectiveness of involuntary community treatment is limited. The review concludes that the benefits for a small number of patients are outweighed by the high numbers needed to treat in terms of avoided re-admission. SUMMARY: Despite pioneering work, involuntary treatment is still caught up in tradition. There is a lack of standard and proof of effectiveness. A proposal of monitoring guidelines for involuntary measures is a first step to improve the situation.
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The use of involuntary methods varies across Europe and obtaining clinical data about it is difficult.
“Literature suggests that the use of involuntary methods varies across Europe and to obtain clinical data about it is difficult (12).”
From Practical Issues of Medical Experts in Assessing Persons With Mental Illness Asking for Assisted Dying in Switzerland (2022) · cites this paper as [12]
Cites
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Use of Coercive Measures During Involuntary Hospitalization: Findings From Ten European Countries
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Variation in use of coercive measures in psychiatric hospitals
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Hachtel, H., Häring, D., Kochuparackal, T., Graf, M., & Vogel, T. (2022) · Frontiers in Psychiatry · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2022.909194 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
- Authors
- Jacobsen, T. B.
- Affiliations
- European Union of Medical Specialists (BE)
- Corresponding author
- Jacobsen, Torsten B.
- Venue
- Current Opinion in Psychiatry
- Published
- 2012-07
- Volume
- 25
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 307-310
- ISSN
- 0951-7367 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2044371550
- Cited by
- 50
- References
- 7
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 1
- FWCI
- 5.07
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Current Opinion in Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Healthcare Decision-Making and Restraints
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Schizophrenia research and treatment
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Electroconvulsive Therapy Studies
- Keywords
- involuntary treatment, involuntary admission, first-episode psychosis, cross-national variation, monitoring guidelines, hospital readmission, treatment effectiveness
- MeSH terms
- Mental Disorders, Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders, Europe, Hospital Administration, Humans, Mental Health Services, Practice Guidelines as Topic
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