Design & Data Gathering | |||
| introduction & links | preparation & piloting | data analysis & dissemination |
Timeframe: 01 September 2003 – 30 May 2005.
Patients will be asked for paticipation if they are between 18 and 65 years of age, live in the catchment area of the participating hospital(s), have not been admitted to a special unit only for forensic psychiatric or intoxicated patients or to a special treatment program for eating disorders which automatically includes coercive treatment and are not already included in the study. Nearly all diagnoses of mental disorders will be acceptable, except dementia. Before the first interview, patients' written informed consent will be obtained. Two patient groups will be compared in the following way:
| expected loss to follow-up | t1 = within first week after admission | t2 = four weeks after admission | t3 = three months after admission | |
| legally involuntary admissions (per centre) | 45 % | N = 250 | N = 213 | N = 140 |
| legally voluntary admissions who felt coerced to admission* (per centre) | 45 % | N = 75 | N = 63 | N = 40 |
| total over both groups and all 12 centres | 45 % | N = 3900 | N = 3312 | N = 2160 |
Data will be obtained from patients in interviews, independently of whether patients are still in hospital or discharged. The interviews are adapted in length and content to the patients' current mental state. The interview at t3 will be short enough to be done by telephone - if necessary.
* Screened with the Perceived Coercion scale from the MacArthur Admission Experience Survey (Gardner et al., 1993 / Hoge et al., 1997) out of a sample of legally voluntary admissions. Projected number of screenings necessary: N=375 per centre.