title: Trends in the use of the Italian Mental Health Act, 1979--1997.
abstract: Italian statistics on psychiatric bed availability, voluntary and compulsory admissions were examined from 1979 to 1997. Although the number of psychiatric beds dropped by 62.5%, the absolute number of compulsory admissions has remained substantially stable. The proportion of all admissions that were compulsory decreased from 17.1% to 11%. This study shows that a shift to community care was not associated with an increase in compulsory admissions in Italy.
authors.affiliation: The University of Hull, Hertford Building, Cottingham Road, Hull HU6 7RX, UK. g.guaiana@hull.ac.uk
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Guaiana
authors.forename: Corrado
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barbui
mesh_terms: D003134:Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D003158:Community Psychiatry / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D015995:Prevalence