International variations in mental-health law regulating involuntary commitment of psychiatric patients as measured by the Mental Health Legislation Attitudes Scale ...

• Main Authors: Georgieva, Irina, Whittington, Richard, Lauvrud, Christian, Steinert, Tilman, Wikman, Sofia, Lepping, Peter, Duxbury, Joy, Snorrason, Jon, Mihai, Adriana, Berring, Lene Lauge, BN, Raveesh, Vesselinov, Roumen
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Universität Ulm 2019
• Subjects: Involuntary admission; mental-health law; international comparison; compulsory hospitalisation; DDC 610 / Medicine & health; Commitment of mentally ill; Legislation and jurisprudence; Psychotherapy; Cross-cultural comparison; Psychisch Kranker; Zwangseinweisung; Norway; Iceland
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.18725/oparu-40035; https://oparu.uni-ulm.de/xmlui/handle/123456789/40111

Previous research illustrated that the laws regulating involuntary placement and treatment of people with mental-health problems are diverse across countries. International studies comparing satisfaction levels between countries are rare. We compared the opinions of professionals and family members about the operation of the national mental-health law regulating forcibly admission and treatment of psychiatric patients in 11 countries: Ireland, Iceland, England and Wales, Romania, Slovenia, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, Norway and India. An online survey design was adopted using a Mental Health Legislation Attitudes Scale (MHLAS). This brief nine-item questionnaire was distributed via email to psychiatrists, general practitioners, acute and community mental-health nurses, tribunal members, police officers and family members in each collaborating country. The levels of agreement/disagreement were measured on a Likert scale. Data were analysed both per question and with regard to a total MHLAS ‘approval’ score ...