Involuntarily and voluntarily admitted patients' experiences of psychiatric admission and treatment--a comparison before and after changed legislation in Sweden.
OBJECTIVE
The Swedish Compulsory Mental Care Act (LPT) of 1992 emphasises the participation of patients and relatives in the treatment of the patients. The purpose of this study was to compare patients' experiences under the LPT with patients' experiences under the previous law.


METHODS
Samples of 44 committed patients and 40 voluntarily admitted patients in 1991 and 49 committed and 49 voluntarily admitted patients in 1997/98 were interviewed at admission and at discharge, or after 3 weeks of care.


RESULTS
There were similar proportions of committed and voluntarily admitted patients, respectively, in 1991 and 1997/98 who reported participation in treatment planning and participation of relatives and who reported deprivation of liberty, but more committed patients in 1997/98 reported coercive measures.


CONCLUSIONS
There were few differences of the patient's experiences between the study occasions. The fundamental aims of the legislation have not been fulfilled.
Wallsten
Tuula
T
Psychiatric Administration, Center for Clinical Research, University of Uppsala, Central Hospital, Ingång 29, SE-721 89 Västerås, Sweden. tuula.wallsten@ltvastmanland.se
Kjellin
Lars
L
D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D010054:Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale; D003134:Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010358:Patient Participation; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors