Cluain Mhuire Community Mental Health Service, Co Dublin, Ireland.
Royal College of Surgeons, Dublin, Ireland.
Med Leg J. 2023 Jun;91(2):93-97. doi: 10.1177/00258172221149539. Epub 2023 Feb 8.
Anorexia nervosa is a form of eating disorder associated with significant morbidity and mortality, such that patients can become physically unwell and need medical treatment. Body image can be distorted, meaning that underweight people may believe they need to lose weight, leading to treatment refusal in some cases. Consequently, involuntary treatment is sometimes used in severe cases of anorexia, which may include nasogastric (tube) feeding to restore weight. Wardship is used in Ireland to obtain the court's consent for treatment of unwilling patients with anorexia nervosa, as it is legally uncertain whether mental health legislation can be applied for treatment of these patients. This article will explore the current legal mechanisms for involuntary treatment of anorexia nervosa in Ireland, analysing both wardship and mental health legislation.
神经性厌食症是一种与显著发病率和死亡率相关的饮食失调症，患者可能会出现身体不适，需要接受医疗治疗。身体意象可能会扭曲，这意味着体重过轻的人可能认为自己需要减肥，从而导致某些情况下拒绝治疗。因此，在严重的厌食症病例中，有时会使用非自愿治疗，其中可能包括鼻胃（管）喂养以恢复体重。在爱尔兰，监护权用于获得法院同意治疗不愿意接受神经性厌食症治疗的患者，因为在法律上不确定是否可以对这些患者适用精神卫生立法。本文将探讨爱尔兰非自愿治疗神经性厌食症的现行法律机制，分析监护权和精神卫生立法。
