An Analysis of Patient Rights Violations in Psychiatric Hospitals in Japan After the Enactment of the Mental Health Act of 1987

The Mental Health Act in Japan was enacted in 1987. This study aims to determine whether the act has been effective in protecting patient rights by delineating the content and trends of patient rights violations at psychiatric hospitals through an analysis of newspaper reports. An analysis of 924 newspaper articles found 39 hospitals involved in patient rights violations. The results show that violations of patient rights have continued to occur after the implementation of the act. The reasons: for-profit policy of hospitals, a defective oversight system, and a lack of knowledge about the act by medical staff.