title: What is the benefit of involuntary short-term psychiatric hospitalisation?
abstract: In Germany, psychiatric patients considered to be a danger to themselves or others may be detained involuntarily for 24 hours, after which the court must be consulted. Only Baden-Württemberg, of all the German states, allows for 72 hours confinement. In a study of 70 patients who were involuntarily hospitalized at a university hospital, it was found that when patients are subject to a 72 hour doctors' court hold, as compared to the 24 hour hold, the number of patients committed to treatment by the court was reduced by about 50%. This applies particularly to younger patients with addiction or neurotic disorders. Schizophrenic patients and older patients with organic brain disease were more likely to be detained on court order. Two-thirds of the patients who were involuntarily hospitalized said that they felt adequately informed about their legal rights, but only about a third felt that involuntary hospitalisation was justified.
authors.affiliation: Universitatsklinik fur Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Tubingen, Germany.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Laengle
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dürr
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Renner
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guenthner
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Foerster
mesh_terms: D003134:Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D003617:Dangerous Behavior; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome