The Relationship Between Legal Status and Patient Characteristics in State Hospitals

Voluntary & involuntary patients admitted to the Massachusetts State hospital system were compared. Legal status was not associated with chronicity prevalence of psychosis, extent of social ties as measured by marital status & living conditions or the need for more seclusion or restraint. The median length of stay was much longer for voluntary patients. These results have implication concerning proposals that general hospitals admit acute care patients presently in state hospitals. HA