title: Reasons for physically restraining patients and residents: a systematic review and content analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this systematic review was to determine why people are physically restrained in the acute and residential care settings.
  
  
  METHODS
  A comprehensive search was undertaken of electronic databases to identify studies addressing the reasons for using physical restraint. Findings were synthesised using content analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-three studies were identified. The most common reason for using restraints related to patient-oriented issues such as ensuring the safety of people. However, they are also commonly used to facilitate treatment, maintain the social environment and because of issues such as understaffing.
authors.affiliation: Joanna Briggs Institute for Evidence Based Nursing and Midwifery, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Margaret Graham Building, North Terrace, Adelaide 5000, Australia. d.evans@adelaide.edu.au
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: FitzGerald
mesh_terms: D032763:Behavior Control; D003657:Decision Making; D006801:Humans; D011595:Psychomotor Agitation / Q000628:therapy; D012149:Restraint, Physical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012308:Risk Management