Prevalence and Risk Factors of Violence by Psychiatric Acute Inpatients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

<h4>Background</h4>Violence in acute psychiatric wards affects the safety of other patients and the effectiveness of treatment. However, there is a wide variation in reported rates of violence in acute psychiatric wards.<h4>Objectives</h4>To use meta-analysis to estimate the...

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Main Authors: Laura Iozzino, Clarissa Ferrari, Matthew Large, Olav Nielssen, Giovanni de Girolamo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2015-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0128536
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author Laura Iozzino
Clarissa Ferrari
Matthew Large
Olav Nielssen
Giovanni de Girolamo
author_facet Laura Iozzino
Clarissa Ferrari
Matthew Large
Olav Nielssen
Giovanni de Girolamo
author_sort Laura Iozzino
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Background</h4>Violence in acute psychiatric wards affects the safety of other patients and the effectiveness of treatment. However, there is a wide variation in reported rates of violence in acute psychiatric wards.<h4>Objectives</h4>To use meta-analysis to estimate the pooled rate of violence in published studies, and examine the characteristics of the participants, and aspects of the studies themselves that might explain the variation in the reported rates of violence (moderators).<h4>Method</h4>Systematic meta-analysis of studies published between January 1995 and December 2014, which reported rates of violence in acute psychiatric wards of general or psychiatric hospitals in high-income countries.<h4>Results</h4>Of the 23,972 inpatients described in 35 studies, the pooled proportion of patients who committed at least one act of violence was 17% (95% confidence interval (CI) 14-20%). Studies with higher proportions of male patients, involuntary patients, patients with schizophrenia and patients with alcohol use disorder reported higher rates of inpatient violence.<h4>Conclusion</h4>The findings of this study suggest that almost 1 in 5 patients admitted to acute psychiatric units may commit an act of violence. Factors associated with levels of violence in psychiatric units are similar to factors that are associated with violence among individual patients (male gender, diagnosis of schizophrenia, substance use and lifetime history of violence).
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spelling doaj-art-9afc8c17094c42159caea5bb1e4bc25f2025-08-20T02:37:05ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032015-01-01106e012853610.1371/journal.pone.0128536Prevalence and Risk Factors of Violence by Psychiatric Acute Inpatients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Laura IozzinoClarissa FerrariMatthew LargeOlav NielssenGiovanni de Girolamo<h4>Background</h4>Violence in acute psychiatric wards affects the safety of other patients and the effectiveness of treatment. However, there is a wide variation in reported rates of violence in acute psychiatric wards.<h4>Objectives</h4>To use meta-analysis to estimate the pooled rate of violence in published studies, and examine the characteristics of the participants, and aspects of the studies themselves that might explain the variation in the reported rates of violence (moderators).<h4>Method</h4>Systematic meta-analysis of studies published between January 1995 and December 2014, which reported rates of violence in acute psychiatric wards of general or psychiatric hospitals in high-income countries.<h4>Results</h4>Of the 23,972 inpatients described in 35 studies, the pooled proportion of patients who committed at least one act of violence was 17% (95% confidence interval (CI) 14-20%). Studies with higher proportions of male patients, involuntary patients, patients with schizophrenia and patients with alcohol use disorder reported higher rates of inpatient violence.<h4>Conclusion</h4>The findings of this study suggest that almost 1 in 5 patients admitted to acute psychiatric units may commit an act of violence. Factors associated with levels of violence in psychiatric units are similar to factors that are associated with violence among individual patients (male gender, diagnosis of schizophrenia, substance use and lifetime history of violence).https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0128536
spellingShingle Laura Iozzino
Clarissa Ferrari
Matthew Large
Olav Nielssen
Giovanni de Girolamo
Prevalence and Risk Factors of Violence by Psychiatric Acute Inpatients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
PLoS ONE
title Prevalence and Risk Factors of Violence by Psychiatric Acute Inpatients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
title_full Prevalence and Risk Factors of Violence by Psychiatric Acute Inpatients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
title_fullStr Prevalence and Risk Factors of Violence by Psychiatric Acute Inpatients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
title_full_unstemmed Prevalence and Risk Factors of Violence by Psychiatric Acute Inpatients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
title_short Prevalence and Risk Factors of Violence by Psychiatric Acute Inpatients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
title_sort prevalence and risk factors of violence by psychiatric acute inpatients a systematic review and meta analysis
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0128536
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