Patients’ views and experiences of involuntary hospitalization in Greece: a focus group study

Involuntary hospitalization of people with mental illness raises important ethical and legal concerns worldwide; however, only a handful of studies have investigated the patients’ perspective in depth. The present study aims at exploring patients’ views about the rightfulness of compulsory admission, their experience of hospitalization and potential interventions for reducing its effect in Athens. Fourteen patients who were involuntarily admitted to a psychiatric hospital in the Attica region and had been discharged one month prior to the group discussion, participated in the study. A focus group design drawing on Interpretative Thematic Analysis was employed. The themes that emerged include conflicting attitudes towards the rightfulness of admission, the absence of patient participation in any form of decision-making, substantial infringement of human rights and patients’ dearth of knowledge about them. Therefore, raising awareness initiatives, adequate training of all involved parties, the integration of psychotherapy in the treatment plan, the creation of a therapeutic milieu and less coercive alternatives to acute psychiatric care were the course of action suggested by patients. In line with this, concerted efforts on the part of patients, their families, clinicians and policy makers should be channelled towards securing strict enforcement of pertinent legislation and advancing patient-centred care.