An analysis of patient rights violations in psychiatric hospitals in Japan after the enactment of the Mental Health Act of 1987.
The Mental Health Act in Japan was enacted in 1987. This study aims to determine whether the act has been effective in protecting patient rights by delineating the content and trends of patient rights violations at psychiatric hospitals through an analysis of newspaper reports. An analysis of 924 newspaper articles found 39 hospitals involved in patient rights violations. The results show that violations of patient rights have continued to occur after the implementation of the act. The reasons: for-profit policy of hospitals, a defective oversight system, and a lack of knowledge about the act by medical staff.
Ohnishi
Kayoko
K
School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Mie University, Tsu City, Mie prefecture, Japan. kohnishi@nurse.medic.mie-u.ac.jp
Hayama
Yumiko
Y
Kosugi
Shinji
S
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D054869:Clinical Audit; D003134:Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000639:trends; D003688:Deinstitutionalization / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000639:trends; D005607:Fraud / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000639:trends; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006302:Health Services Research; D016304:Hospitals, Private / Q000458:organization & administration; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006779:Hospitals, Public / Q000458:organization & administration; D045809:Human Rights Abuses / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008402:Mass Media; D028642:Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009524:Newspapers as Topic; D016134:Organizational Policy; D028701:Patient Rights / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000639:trends; D018802:Patient-Centered Care; D010564:Personnel, Hospital / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000639:trends