<it>Aceh Free Pasung</it>: Releasing the mentally ill from physical restraint
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Physical restraint and confinement of the mentally ill (called <it>pasung </it>in Indonesia) is common in Aceh. In early 2010, the local government initiated a program called <it>Aceh Free Pasung </it>2010. Th...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2011-05-01
|
| Series: | International Journal of Mental Health Systems |
| Online Access: | http://www.ijmhs.com/content/5/1/10 |
| _version_ | 1831520452847075328 |
|---|---|
| author | Marthoenis M Puteh Ibrahim Minas Harry |
| author_facet | Marthoenis M Puteh Ibrahim Minas Harry |
| author_sort | Marthoenis M |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Physical restraint and confinement of the mentally ill (called <it>pasung </it>in Indonesia) is common in Aceh. In early 2010, the local government initiated a program called <it>Aceh Free Pasung </it>2010. The main goal of the program is to release the mentally ill in the province from restraint and to provide appropriate medical treatment and care. The aim of the paper is to report the findings of a preliminary investigation of the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients who have been admitted to the Banda Aceh Mental Hospital as part of the <it>Aceh Free Pasung </it>program.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This is a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted at the Banda Aceh Mental Hospital, where people who had been restrained or confined in the community are being admitted for psychiatric treatment and, where necessary, physical rehabilitation, as part of the <it>Aceh Free Pasung </it>program.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Fifty-nine of former ex-<it>pasung </it>patients were examined. The majority (88.1%) of the patients were male, aged 18 to 68 years. The duration of <it>pasung </it>varied from a few days to 20 years, with a mean duration of 4.0 years. The reasons for applying <it>pasung </it>are many, with concerns about dangerousness being most common. The great majority (89.8%) had a diagnosis of schizophrenia.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>The development of a community mental health system and the introduction of a health insurance system in Aceh (together with the national health insurance scheme for the poor) has enabled access to free hospital treatment for people with severe mental disorders, including those who have been in <it>pasung</it>. The demographic and clinical characteristics of this group of ex-<it>pasung </it>patients are broadly similar to those reported in previous studies.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The Aceh Free <it>Pasung </it>program is an important mental health and human rights initiative that can serve to inform similar efforts in other parts of Indonesia and other low and middle-income countries where restraint and confinement of the mentally ill is receiving insufficient attention.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T17:33:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-45a434f8fd724e9989e87dca856daebf |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1752-4458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T17:33:45Z |
| publishDate | 2011-05-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Mental Health Systems |
| spelling | doaj.art-45a434f8fd724e9989e87dca856daebf2022-12-21T23:36:59ZengBMCInternational Journal of Mental Health Systems1752-44582011-05-01511010.1186/1752-4458-5-10<it>Aceh Free Pasung</it>: Releasing the mentally ill from physical restraintMarthoenis MPuteh IbrahimMinas Harry<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Physical restraint and confinement of the mentally ill (called <it>pasung </it>in Indonesia) is common in Aceh. In early 2010, the local government initiated a program called <it>Aceh Free Pasung </it>2010. The main goal of the program is to release the mentally ill in the province from restraint and to provide appropriate medical treatment and care. The aim of the paper is to report the findings of a preliminary investigation of the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients who have been admitted to the Banda Aceh Mental Hospital as part of the <it>Aceh Free Pasung </it>program.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This is a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted at the Banda Aceh Mental Hospital, where people who had been restrained or confined in the community are being admitted for psychiatric treatment and, where necessary, physical rehabilitation, as part of the <it>Aceh Free Pasung </it>program.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Fifty-nine of former ex-<it>pasung </it>patients were examined. The majority (88.1%) of the patients were male, aged 18 to 68 years. The duration of <it>pasung </it>varied from a few days to 20 years, with a mean duration of 4.0 years. The reasons for applying <it>pasung </it>are many, with concerns about dangerousness being most common. The great majority (89.8%) had a diagnosis of schizophrenia.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>The development of a community mental health system and the introduction of a health insurance system in Aceh (together with the national health insurance scheme for the poor) has enabled access to free hospital treatment for people with severe mental disorders, including those who have been in <it>pasung</it>. The demographic and clinical characteristics of this group of ex-<it>pasung </it>patients are broadly similar to those reported in previous studies.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The Aceh Free <it>Pasung </it>program is an important mental health and human rights initiative that can serve to inform similar efforts in other parts of Indonesia and other low and middle-income countries where restraint and confinement of the mentally ill is receiving insufficient attention.</p>http://www.ijmhs.com/content/5/1/10 |
| spellingShingle | Marthoenis M Puteh Ibrahim Minas Harry <it>Aceh Free Pasung</it>: Releasing the mentally ill from physical restraint International Journal of Mental Health Systems |
| title | <it>Aceh Free Pasung</it>: Releasing the mentally ill from physical restraint |
| title_full | <it>Aceh Free Pasung</it>: Releasing the mentally ill from physical restraint |
| title_fullStr | <it>Aceh Free Pasung</it>: Releasing the mentally ill from physical restraint |
| title_full_unstemmed | <it>Aceh Free Pasung</it>: Releasing the mentally ill from physical restraint |
| title_short | <it>Aceh Free Pasung</it>: Releasing the mentally ill from physical restraint |
| title_sort | it aceh free pasung it releasing the mentally ill from physical restraint |
| url | http://www.ijmhs.com/content/5/1/10 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT marthoenism itacehfreepasungitreleasingthementallyillfromphysicalrestraint AT putehibrahim itacehfreepasungitreleasingthementallyillfromphysicalrestraint AT minasharry itacehfreepasungitreleasingthementallyillfromphysicalrestraint |