Physical Restraint Events in Psychiatric Hospitals in Hong Kong: A Cohort Register Study

Maritta Välimäki, Yuen Ting Joyce Lam, Kirsi Hipp, Po Yee Ivy Cheng, Tony Ng, Glendy Ip, Paul Lee, Teris Cheung, Daniel Bressington and Tella Lantta
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Maritta Välimäki: Xiangya Center for Evidence-Based Practice & Healthcare Innovation, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
Yuen Ting Joyce Lam: Department of Nursing Science, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland
Kirsi Hipp: Department of Nursing Science, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland
Po Yee Ivy Cheng: Community Psychiatric Services, Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital, Chai Wan, Hong Kong SAR, China
Tony Ng: Community Psychiatric Services, Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital, Chai Wan, Hong Kong SAR, China
Glendy Ip: Central Nursing Division, Kwai Chung Hospital, Kwai Chung, Hong Kong SAR, China
Paul Lee: Department of Health Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
Teris Cheung: School of Nursing, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
Daniel Bressington: College of Nursing and Midwifery, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, Larrakia Country, Darwin, NT 0810, Australia
Tella Lantta: Department of Nursing Science, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 10, 1-14

Abstract: The need to better monitor coercion practices in psychiatric hospitals has been recognised. We aim to describe how physical restraint events occur in psychiatric hospitals and identify factors associated with physical-restraint use. A cohort register study was used. We analyzed physical restraint documents among 14 wards in two psychiatric hospitals in Hong Kong (1 July and 31 December 2018). In total, 1798 incidents occurred (the rate of physical restraint event 0.43). Typically, physically restrained patients were in early middle-age, of both genders, diagnosed with schizophrenia-spectrum and other psychotic disorders, and admitted voluntarily. Alternate methods for physical restraint were reported, such as an explanation of the situation to the patients, time-out or sedation. A longer period of being physically restrained was associated with being male, aged ≥40 years, having involuntary status, and neurodevelopmental-disorder diagnosis. Our findings support a call for greater action to promote the best practices in managing patient aggression and decreasing the use of physical restraint in psychiatric wards. The reasons for the use of physical restraint, especially for those patients who are admitted to a psychiatric hospital on a voluntary basis and are diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders, needs to be better understood and analysed.

Keywords: physical restraint; coercion; psychiatric; Hong Kong; register; hospital (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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