Involuntary hospitalizations of patients with mental disorders in Vrapce Psychiatric Hospital: five years of implementation of the first Croatian law on protection of persons with mental disorders.

Results. The rate of involuntarily hospitalized patients increased by significantly from 1998 to 1999 (from 30.8% to 39.6%; p<0.01, chi square test). This rate decreased to 5.6% in 2000 (p<0.01), and continued to decrease in 2002 (3.5%). There was no difference between involuntarily hospitalized patients regarding sex in 1998 (p=0.302) and 1999 (p=0.136). Men were significantly more often involuntarily hospitalized than women in 2000, 2001, and 2002 (p<0.01). Schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders were the most common diagnoses among involuntarily hospitalized patients in each of the observed years.