Sex-specific characteristics of involuntary hospitalization in Croatia

The aim of this study was to investigate sex-specific characteristics relat ed to involuntary hospitalization. Medical records from two psychiatric hos pitals in Croatia in a 6-month period were surveyed. The sample comprised 3 80 men and 335 women hospitalized voluntary and 48 men and 125 women hospit alized involuntary. Results showed that both male and female patients were most often admitted because of psychosis, but the second diagnosis related to involuntary hospitalization in female patients was mood disorders, where as in male patients it was alcoholism. There was no difference in the lengt h of hospitalization between voluntarily and involuntarily hospitalized mal e patients, whereas in the female sample involuntary hospitalization lasted longer than voluntary. Involuntary hospitalization in the male sample was related to younger age but was not related to marital status. In contrast, in the female sample involuntary hospitalization was related to older age a nd to "having no spouse". In conclusion, there are some sex-specific factor s related to involuntary hospitalization in Croatia.