Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica
Volume 121, Issue 2, 2010, Pages 143-151

Excess use of coercive measures in psychiatry among migrants compared with native Danes (Article)

Norredam M.* , Garcia-Lopez A. , Keiding N. , Krasnik A.
  • a Department of Health Services Research, Institute of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Denmark, Østre Farimagsgade 5, 1014 Copenhagen K, Denmark
  • b Department of Biostatistics, Institute of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
  • c Department of Biostatistics, Institute of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
  • d Department of Health Services Research, Institute of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Denmark, Østre Farimagsgade 5, 1014 Copenhagen K, Denmark

Abstract

Objective: To investigate differences in risk of compulsory admission and other coercive measures in psychiatric emergencies among refugees and immigrants compared with that among native Danes. Method: A register-based retrospective cohort design. All refugees (n = 29 174) and immigrants (n = 33 287) who received residence permission in Denmark from 1.1.1993 to 31.12.1999 were included and matched 1 : 4 on age and sex with native Danes. Civil registration numbers were cross-linked to the Danish Psychiatric Central Register and the Registry of Coercive Measures in Psychiatric Treatment. Results: Refugees (RR = 1.82; 95%CI: 1.45; 2.29) and immigrants (RR = 1.14; 95%CI: 0.83; 1.56) experienced higher rates of compulsory admissions than did native Danes. This was most striking for refugee men (RR = 2.00; 95%CI: 1.53; 2.61) and immigrant women (RR = 1.73; 95%CI: 1.45; 2.60). Moreover, refugees and immigrants experienced higher frequencies of other coercive measures during hospitalisation compared with native Danes. Conclusion: Coercive measures in psychiatry are more likely to be experienced by migrants than by native Danes. © 2009 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Author Keywords

Coercion Migration Public mental health Health service

Index Keywords

hospital admission hospitalization refugee Registries indigenous people human Denmark controlled study priority journal Coercion mental health care Mental Disorders mental disease Humans Severity of Illness Index male female Psychiatric Status Rating Scales prevalence Article Retrospective Studies psychiatric treatment major clinical study adult emergency health service Transients and Migrants psychiatry
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-73549100237&doi=10.1111%2fj.1600-0447.2009.01418.x&partnerID=40&md5=dda87e3a36e263863932607d053670be
DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0447.2009.01418.x
ISSN: 0001690X
Cited by: 41
Original Language: English