Outcomes of involuntary hospitalisation in Taiwanese patients with mental disorders: a nationwide cohort study, 2007–2020

Under Taiwan’s 2007 Mental Health Act, patients with mental disorders who meet the criteria for severe mental illness and dangerous behaviours may be subject to involuntary hospitalisation (IH). Risk factors for and outcomes of IH should be considered to protect patients’ human rights under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This retrospective cohort study analysed Taiwan’s national health insurance data from 2007 to 2020. Male and older patients with psychoactive substance–induced disorders, schizophrenic and delusional disorders, and manic and bipolar affective disorders were more likely than others to undergo IH. Postdischarge readmission rates were lower for patients with schizophrenic or delusional disorders and higher for those with manic or bipolar affective disorders. Treatment with long-acting injectable antipsychotics was considerably more prevalent in cases of involuntary readmission. The findings highlight key patient groups with elevated IH risk and can inform future mental health policy and practice.