Incidence of suicidality and restraint and seclusion in inpatient psychiatric care for people with schizophrenia

Abstract

The current dissertation sought to examine policies and practices that affect the psychiatric care and safety of people with schizophrenia. These included policies related to state- and census-region expenditures in outpatient mental health care and national policies that regulate the use and documentation of restraint and seclusion in psychiatric hospitalization. Additionally, characteristics of inpatient psychiatric treatment for individuals with schizophrenia who present for suicidal self-injury or intent were evaluated. Through an analysis of two national data sets and records of state mental health care funding, the relationship between these policies and the clinical practices they support were assessed from a value-critical perspective, over the course of three articles.