title: Evaluating the clinical impact of involuntary admission to a specialized dual diagnosis ward.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We aimed to identify characteristics and outcomes of involuntary and voluntary admissions of dual-diagnosis patients in a single, large mental health center in Israel.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a retrospective chart review methodology, 24 patient records were reviewed spanning a period of five years; clinical and demographic variables of voluntary and involuntary admissions were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant differences were found in sociodemographic characteristics, admission diagnosis and length of hospitalization between the two types of admission. A smaller proportion of patients discharged from involuntary admissions were in remission compared to those discharged from voluntary admission. Nevertheless, involuntary admissions were associated with longer time to next hospitalization.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data were based on a small number of patients in a single ward, thus the generalizability of the results is uncertain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The finding of the current study that involuntary admission leads to longer tenure in the community suggests that there may be clinical advantages to involuntary admissions for certain dual diagnosis patients.
authors.affiliation: Abarbanel Mental Health Center, Bat Yam, Israel Tel Aviv University, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Yael
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Delayahu
authors.affiliation: Tel Aviv University, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv, Israel Petach Tikva Community Mental Health Center, Petach Tikva, Israel.
authors.forename: Yael
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nehama
authors.affiliation: Abarbanel Mental Health Center, Bat Yam, Israel Department of Behavioral Sciences, The Academic College of Tel Aviv- Yaffo, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Adi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sagi
authors.affiliation: Abarbanel Mental Health Center, Bat Yam, Israel Tel Aviv University, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Yehuda
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Baruch
authors.affiliation: Abarbanel Mental Health Center, Bat Yam, Israel Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A. Phoebe Berman Bioethics Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: M Blass
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003134:Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017831:Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry) / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013997:Time Factors