Biomaterial Database

Violence, civil commitment, and hospitalization. 1986

D E McNiel, and R L Binder

The frequency of violent behavior and civil commitment leading to hospitalization of psychiatric patients was examined comparing the years 1973 and 1983. For each year, 150 patients were randomly selected among admissions to a locked acute psychiatric unit in a university setting. Medical charts were reviewed for descriptions of violent behavior, demographic information, and legal status. While the rate of preadmission violence did not change significantly between 1973 and 1983, there was a threefold increase in the proportion of patients admitted involuntarily as a danger to others. Possible explanations of the inconsistent application of civil commitment statutes are discussed.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D010344	Patient Advocacy	Promotion and protection of the rights of patients, frequently through a legal process.	Patient Ombudsmen,Patient Representatives,Clinical Ombudsman,Patient Ombudsman,Advocacy, Patient,Ombudsman, Clinical,Ombudsman, Patient,Ombudsmen, Patient,Patient Representative,Representative, Patient,Representatives, Patient
D002140	California	State bounded on the east by Nevada and Arizona, on the south by Mexico and the Pacific Ocean on the south and west, and on the north by Oregon.
D003134	Commitment of Mentally Ill	Legal process required for the institutionalization of a patient with severe mental problems.	Outpatient Commitment,Commitment, Outpatient,Mentally Ill Commitments
D003617	Dangerous Behavior	Actions which have a high risk of being harmful or injurious to oneself or others.	Behavior, Dangerous,Dangerousness,Hazardous Behavior,Behavior, Hazardous,Behaviors, Hazardous,Dangerous Behaviors,Hazardous Behaviors
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000293	Adolescent	A person 13 to 18 years of age.	Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths
D000328	Adult	A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available.	Adults