The Impact of COVID-19 on Forensic Rehabilitation in Austria
Introduction In general, forensic psychiatric patients experience major restrictions of freedom. To mitigate the risk for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), even more restrictions were implemented in Austrian mental health institutions in 2020. Besides potential deterioration of psychopatholo...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Cambridge University Press
2023-03-01
|
| Series: | European Psychiatry |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933823004856/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1797616002445344768 |
|---|---|
| author | M. Koch A. Dvorak M. Hobersdorfer L. Yeghiazaryan U. Rabl A. Komorowski |
| author_facet | M. Koch A. Dvorak M. Hobersdorfer L. Yeghiazaryan U. Rabl A. Komorowski |
| author_sort | M. Koch |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Introduction
In general, forensic psychiatric patients experience major restrictions of freedom. To mitigate the risk for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), even more restrictions were implemented in Austrian mental health institutions in 2020. Besides potential deterioration of psychopathological symptoms, exaggerated freedom-restricting measures may limit the forensic rehabilitation of offenders.
Objectives
Given that rehabilitative efforts and social visits were suspended for more than a year, this study aimed to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the psychosocial rehabilitation of forensic psychiatric patients.
Methods
This retrospective longitudinal observational study evaluated institutional data before and after the enactment of freedom-restricting measures in an Austrian forensic mental health institution. Data were obtained from 97 offenders treated at the institution Justizanstalt Göllersdorf during two time periods (January 2019 – March 2020 and March 2020 – May 2021). Statistical differences between both periods were assessed by means of Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Study outcomes included the number of visits by relatives and legal guardians as well as rehabilitative activities.
Results
After the outbreak of the pandemic, access to penal institutions was limited for external visitors, which led to a decrease in visits by relatives (1440 vs. 394, p < .001) and legal guardians (286 vs. 122, p = .003). Further, the total number of one-day temporary releases of patients (64 vs. 3, p < .001) and group excursions (103 vs. 10, p < .001) decreased in the second study period.
Conclusions
Focusing on social contacts and rehabilitative activities, this study highlights the impact of the current pandemic in forensic psychiatry. While COVID-19-related protective measures may reduce the risk for disease transmission, enforced quarantine and other restrictions of freedom impair the rehabilitation of forensic psychiatric patients. This implies the necessity for guidelines to uphold an appropriate standard of care during future pandemics.
Disclosure of Interest
None Declared |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:34:57Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-75090db805a242ab9c0de8855b58d343 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0924-9338 1778-3585 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:34:57Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-75090db805a242ab9c0de8855b58d3432023-11-17T05:10:14ZengCambridge University PressEuropean Psychiatry0924-93381778-35852023-03-0166S206S20610.1192/j.eurpsy.2023.485The Impact of COVID-19 on Forensic Rehabilitation in AustriaM. Koch0A. Dvorak1M. Hobersdorfer2L. Yeghiazaryan3U. Rabl4A. Komorowski51Medical University of Vienna, Vienna2Justizanstalt Göllersdorf, Göllersdorf, Austria2Justizanstalt Göllersdorf, Göllersdorf, Austria1Medical University of Vienna, Vienna1Medical University of Vienna, Vienna1Medical University of Vienna, Vienna Introduction In general, forensic psychiatric patients experience major restrictions of freedom. To mitigate the risk for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), even more restrictions were implemented in Austrian mental health institutions in 2020. Besides potential deterioration of psychopathological symptoms, exaggerated freedom-restricting measures may limit the forensic rehabilitation of offenders. Objectives Given that rehabilitative efforts and social visits were suspended for more than a year, this study aimed to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the psychosocial rehabilitation of forensic psychiatric patients. Methods This retrospective longitudinal observational study evaluated institutional data before and after the enactment of freedom-restricting measures in an Austrian forensic mental health institution. Data were obtained from 97 offenders treated at the institution Justizanstalt Göllersdorf during two time periods (January 2019 – March 2020 and March 2020 – May 2021). Statistical differences between both periods were assessed by means of Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Study outcomes included the number of visits by relatives and legal guardians as well as rehabilitative activities. Results After the outbreak of the pandemic, access to penal institutions was limited for external visitors, which led to a decrease in visits by relatives (1440 vs. 394, p < .001) and legal guardians (286 vs. 122, p = .003). Further, the total number of one-day temporary releases of patients (64 vs. 3, p < .001) and group excursions (103 vs. 10, p < .001) decreased in the second study period. Conclusions Focusing on social contacts and rehabilitative activities, this study highlights the impact of the current pandemic in forensic psychiatry. While COVID-19-related protective measures may reduce the risk for disease transmission, enforced quarantine and other restrictions of freedom impair the rehabilitation of forensic psychiatric patients. This implies the necessity for guidelines to uphold an appropriate standard of care during future pandemics. Disclosure of Interest None Declaredhttps://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933823004856/type/journal_article |
| spellingShingle | M. Koch A. Dvorak M. Hobersdorfer L. Yeghiazaryan U. Rabl A. Komorowski The Impact of COVID-19 on Forensic Rehabilitation in Austria European Psychiatry |
| title | The Impact of COVID-19 on Forensic Rehabilitation in Austria |
| title_full | The Impact of COVID-19 on Forensic Rehabilitation in Austria |
| title_fullStr | The Impact of COVID-19 on Forensic Rehabilitation in Austria |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Impact of COVID-19 on Forensic Rehabilitation in Austria |
| title_short | The Impact of COVID-19 on Forensic Rehabilitation in Austria |
| title_sort | impact of covid 19 on forensic rehabilitation in austria |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933823004856/type/journal_article |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mkoch theimpactofcovid19onforensicrehabilitationinaustria AT advorak theimpactofcovid19onforensicrehabilitationinaustria AT mhobersdorfer theimpactofcovid19onforensicrehabilitationinaustria AT lyeghiazaryan theimpactofcovid19onforensicrehabilitationinaustria AT urabl theimpactofcovid19onforensicrehabilitationinaustria AT akomorowski theimpactofcovid19onforensicrehabilitationinaustria AT mkoch impactofcovid19onforensicrehabilitationinaustria AT advorak impactofcovid19onforensicrehabilitationinaustria AT mhobersdorfer impactofcovid19onforensicrehabilitationinaustria AT lyeghiazaryan impactofcovid19onforensicrehabilitationinaustria AT urabl impactofcovid19onforensicrehabilitationinaustria AT akomorowski impactofcovid19onforensicrehabilitationinaustria |