[Social and medical characteristics of psychiatric patients admitted by the district physician].

The medical and social backgrounds of the 323 patients admitted to the County Psychiatric and Neurological Hospital Bernburg by committal order (Art. 6 of the Committment Act of the GDR) are analyzed. During these nine years such committals accounted for between 3.1 and 6.5% of all psychiatric admissions. The most frequent causes were schizophrenia (55.1%), alcohol addiction (10.5%) and geropsychiatric disorders (9.3%). Only 2% of the 323 patients concerned were committed indefinitely by court order after the initial six week term had expired. The study establishes the humanitarian nature of the Committal Act and the success of its practical application.