RESEARCH ARTICLE The Low Proportion and Associated Factors of Involuntary Admission in the Psychiatric Emergency Service in Taiwan

Background The involuntary admission regulated under the Mental Health Act has become an increas-ingly important issue in the developed countries in recent years. Most studies about the dis-tribution and associated factors of involuntary admission were carried out in the western countries; however, the results may vary in different areas with different legal and socio-cultural backgrounds. Aims The aim of this study was to investigate the proportion and associated factors of involuntary admission in a psychiatric emergency service in Taiwan. Methods The study cohort included patients admitted from a psychiatric emergency service over a two-year period. Demographic, psychiatric emergency service utilization, and clinical vari-ables were compared between those who were voluntarily and involuntarily admitted to ex-plore the associated factors of involuntary admission