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Coercion in psychiatric care: Problems of medical ethics in a comprehensive empirical study
Author(s) -
Kjellin Lars,
Candefjord IngaLill,
Machl Margareta,
Westrin ClaesGöran,
Eriksson Kerstin,
Ekblom Bengt,
Ängfors Gunvor,
AxelssonÖstman Margareta,
Östman Olle
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
behavioral sciences and the law
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.649
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1099-0798
pISSN - 0735-3936
DOI - 10.1002/bsl.2370110309
Subject(s) - coercion (linguistics) , psychiatry , medicine , medical ethics , psychology , family medicine , philosophy , linguistics
Abstract In a study of involuntary psychiatric care in two Swedish counties psychiatric examinations and interviews were carried out with 100 committed and 99 voluntarily admitted patients, and 155 relatives of these patients were interviewed. Questionnaires were sent to psychiatric staff, health and welfare personnel of primary care and a representative sample of the general public. As a frame of reference, a two‐dimensional model for description and analysis of ethical conflicts was developed. The first dimension specifies the relevant principles of medical ethics and the second specifies the persons involved. The results indicate ethical ‘benefits’ (fulfilment of ethical principles) and ethical ‘costs’ (violation of ethical principles) for both committed and voluntarily admitted patients, as well as for other groups involved. The study shows the need and feasibility of comprehensive studies of coercion, and the need to develop concepts and methods in such studies as well as for quasiexperimental investigations of involuntary psychiatric care.