Prava osoba s duševnim smetnjama u psihijatrijskim ustanovama u Republici Hrvatskoj

Abstract

Nowadays, after reaching the numerous scientific conclusions in the field of mental health, it is evidently obvious that there is a direct link between the respect for rights of psychiatric patients and inpatient conditions on the one hand and patient treatment effectiveness, their deinstitutionalisation, and therefore, destigmatisation on the other. Nevertheless, in recent years, the reports delivered by the Ombudswoman and Disability Ombudswoman as well as numerous judgments of the European Court for Human Rights in cases of violation of rights of persons with mental difficulties are a clear warning about insufficient accommodation and treatment conditions in psychiatric institutions in the Republic of Croatia. Therefore, it proved justifiable to explore to what extent psychiatric patients exercise their rights as indoor patients and what are the conditions of their medical treatment. With this aim, the research was conducted at the Psychiatric Clinic „Vrapče“, Psychiatric Hospital Rab, Neuropsychiatric Hospital „Dr. Ivan Barbot“ Popovača and Psychiatric Hospital Ugljan, the only psychiatric hospitals in the Republic of Croatia with hospital wards designated for compulsory detention of mentally incapable defendants upon the decision of the criminal court. Two different questionnaires were disseminated, the Basic Questionnaire for Directors of Psychiatric Institutions and the anonymous questionnaire on the sample of 80 patients. The article presents the analysis of the results obtained from these two questionnaires.