Citation

Karlović D, Crnković D, Martinac M, Gale R, Zoričić Z, Marušić S. Alcoholism (Zagreb) 2003; 39(2): 93-104.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2003, Center for study and Control of Alcoholism and Addictions (Croatia))

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze possible the differences in sociodemographic characteristics between the patients intoxicated with alcohol and the other psychiatric patients brought for the urgent psychiatric examination, at the Department for urgent psychiatry, with the police escort, in the years 2001 and 2002. From the total number of 5,534 exams performed at the ambulance for urgent psychiatry in year 2001, and 2002, 282 patient have been brought with the police escort. The police had been bringing the patients, most often man, intoxicated with alcohol. Those patients were mostly observed, or just examined, and committed again to the police station. The rest of the patients were the schizophrenics, the patients who had attempted suicide, and the patients with personality disorders. Those patients mostly remained on coercive hospital treatment, in the accordance with the Croatian Law on Mental Health. The female patients have been brought practically in the same number with the police escort, as the male patients, mostly because of the following disorders: alcohol intoxication, schizophrenia, mood disorders (manic episode), or attempted suicide. In conclusion, our results confirm the criminal element of alcoholism, that has been already pointed out.

Language: en

Keywords

Croatia; Psychiatric patients; Coercive bringing; Coercive hospital treatment; Emergency examination; Law on Mental Health; Policmen