Compulsory admissions: Possibly another dark side of the Greek economic crisis.

Α number of previous articles have dealt with the negative impact of the Greek Economic crisis on public health, including significant increases in major depression prevalence and suicide and homicide rates. The mentally ill seem to represent a vulnerable social group, with particular difficulties in this context. The number of compulsory assessments and involuntary admissions was recorded by reviewing patient records in the Department of Psychiatry of the University Hospital of Patras, through years 2006-2013. Compulsory assessments increased from 176 in 2006 to 262 in 2009 and 354 in 2013, representing a 48.86% and 101.13% increase in the first and the fifth year of economic crisis, respectively. The assessments resulted in 160 involuntary admissions in 2006, which escalated to 262 admissions (63.75% rise) in 2013. Even though a rise in involuntary placements could be attributed to other factors as well, it may also partly represent a not so evident side of the Greek economic crisis.