Table 3 Key messages

Descriptive analyses

- 16.4% of the geriatric psychiatric patients with at least one coercive measure

Compared to non-coerced patients:

- Increased hospitalization duration

- Significantly more likely to be male

- Significantly different civil status (mainly married patients living as a couple (53.1%))

- 16.8% of hospital stays with at least one coercive measure, mainly seclusion (77.4%)

- Organic (41.7%) and bipolar (23.6%) disorders as the most frequent diagnoses

- Hospitalization decision mostly originated from the emergency department (46.1%) in case of hospital stays with coercive measures

- Higher global and item 1 admission HoNOS scores

Multivariable analyses

- Men

- Separated/divorced or married patients living as a couple compared to single patients

- Higher number of previous psychiatric hospitalizations

- Higher item 1 admission HoNOS scores (overactive, aggressive, disruptive or agitated behavior)

- Organic disorders diagnosis compared to depressive disorders

- Hospitalization decision from the emergency department compared to an outpatient center’s or private physician’s decision

Reduced risk of coercion in:

- Older age

- Diagnoses of substance use as well as psychotic, anxious and behavioral, and personality disorders compared to a depressive disorder

Global admission HoNOS scores were not a significant risk factor for coercion, nor was a diagnosis of bipolar disorder compared to a depressive disorder or being widowed compared to being single.