[Gender-Related Differences Regarding Aggressive Behaviour and Coercive Measures in Psychiatric Inpatients].

OBJECTIVE

Examination of gender-related differences of aggressive incidents and the use coercive measures within a whole psychiatric hospital with a catchment area of 339.000 inhabitants over a period of fifteen years.

METHODS

Recording of aggressive incidents using the Staff Observation Aggression Scale-Revised (SOAS-R) as well as coercive measures by a clinically developed record sheet and analysing gender-related differences from 2005 to 2019.

RESULTS

82 833 inpatients (male: 55.3 %; female: 44.7 %) are included. Between 2005 and 2019, 60.1 % of the aggressive events involved male patients and 39.9 % involved female patients; however, regarding cases of treatment no gender-related difference existed (odds ratio: 1.1). The SOAS-R-severity score of women was significantly higher, while aggressive incidents of men were subjectively graded more serious by staff. The number of coercive measures and the mean duration of restraint and seclusion episodes were significantly higher and longer, respectively, in male inpatients.

CONCLUSION

Differences in frequency and duration of coercive measures between male and female patients could be influenced by the subjective perception of staff that male patients behave more aggressively.