Investigating the association of mechanical restraint with somatic harmful outcomes: national register-based study

Background Coercive measures to manage disruptive or violent behaviour are accepted as standard practice in mental healthcare, but systematic knowledge of potentially harmful outcomes is insufficient. Aims To examine the association of mechanical restraint with several predefined somatic harmful ou...

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Main Authors: Lone Baandrup, Marie Kruse
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press 2024-11-01
Series:BJPsych Open
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Online Access:https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056472424007993/type/journal_article
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author Lone Baandrup
Marie Kruse
author_facet Lone Baandrup
Marie Kruse
author_sort Lone Baandrup
collection DOAJ
description Background Coercive measures to manage disruptive or violent behaviour are accepted as standard practice in mental healthcare, but systematic knowledge of potentially harmful outcomes is insufficient. Aims To examine the association of mechanical restraint with several predefined somatic harmful outcomes. Method We conducted a population-based, observational cohort study linking data from the Danish national registers from 2007 to 2019. The primary analyses investigated the association of mechanical restraint with somatic adverse events, using panel regression analyses (within-individual analysis) to account for repeated exposures and outcomes. Secondary between-group analyses were performed with a control group exposed to types of coercion other than mechanical restraint. Results The study population comprised 13 022 individuals. We report a statistically significant association of mechanical restraint with thromboembolic events (relative risk 4.377, number needed to harm (NNH) 8231), pneumonia (relative risk 5.470, NNH 3945), injuries (relative risk 2.286, NNH 3240) and all-cause death (relative risk 5.540, NNH 4043) within 30 days after mechanical restraint. Estimates from the between-group analyses (comparing the exposed group with a control group of 22 643 individuals) were non-significant or indicated increased baseline risk in the control group. A positive dose–response analysis for cardiac arrest, injury and death supported a causative role of mechanical restraint in the reported associations. Conclusions Although the observed absolute risk increases were small, the derived relative risks were non-negligible considering that less restrictive interventions are available. Clinicians and decision makers should be aware of the excess risk in future decisions on the use of mechanical restraint versus alternative interventions.
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spelling doaj-art-8962ea9a46404c7bb0a8cc10e2c7a5cf2024-11-11T11:15:28ZengCambridge University PressBJPsych Open2056-47242024-11-011010.1192/bjo.2024.799Investigating the association of mechanical restraint with somatic harmful outcomes: national register-based studyLone Baandrup0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1662-2720Marie Kruse1Department Bispebjerg-Gentofte, Mental Health Centre Copenhagen, Denmark; Centre for Neuropsychiatric Schizophrenia Research, Mental Health Centre Glostrup, Denmark; and Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, DenmarkDanish Center for Health Economics, University of Southern Denmark, DenmarkBackground Coercive measures to manage disruptive or violent behaviour are accepted as standard practice in mental healthcare, but systematic knowledge of potentially harmful outcomes is insufficient. Aims To examine the association of mechanical restraint with several predefined somatic harmful outcomes. Method We conducted a population-based, observational cohort study linking data from the Danish national registers from 2007 to 2019. The primary analyses investigated the association of mechanical restraint with somatic adverse events, using panel regression analyses (within-individual analysis) to account for repeated exposures and outcomes. Secondary between-group analyses were performed with a control group exposed to types of coercion other than mechanical restraint. Results The study population comprised 13 022 individuals. We report a statistically significant association of mechanical restraint with thromboembolic events (relative risk 4.377, number needed to harm (NNH) 8231), pneumonia (relative risk 5.470, NNH 3945), injuries (relative risk 2.286, NNH 3240) and all-cause death (relative risk 5.540, NNH 4043) within 30 days after mechanical restraint. Estimates from the between-group analyses (comparing the exposed group with a control group of 22 643 individuals) were non-significant or indicated increased baseline risk in the control group. A positive dose–response analysis for cardiac arrest, injury and death supported a causative role of mechanical restraint in the reported associations. Conclusions Although the observed absolute risk increases were small, the derived relative risks were non-negligible considering that less restrictive interventions are available. Clinicians and decision makers should be aware of the excess risk in future decisions on the use of mechanical restraint versus alternative interventions. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056472424007993/type/journal_articleCoercionmechanical restraintadverse eventscohort studyharmful outcomes
spellingShingle Lone Baandrup
Marie Kruse
Investigating the association of mechanical restraint with somatic harmful outcomes: national register-based study
BJPsych Open
Coercion
mechanical restraint
adverse events
cohort study
harmful outcomes
title Investigating the association of mechanical restraint with somatic harmful outcomes: national register-based study
title_full Investigating the association of mechanical restraint with somatic harmful outcomes: national register-based study
title_fullStr Investigating the association of mechanical restraint with somatic harmful outcomes: national register-based study
title_full_unstemmed Investigating the association of mechanical restraint with somatic harmful outcomes: national register-based study
title_short Investigating the association of mechanical restraint with somatic harmful outcomes: national register-based study
title_sort investigating the association of mechanical restraint with somatic harmful outcomes national register based study
topic Coercion
mechanical restraint
adverse events
cohort study
harmful outcomes
url https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056472424007993/type/journal_article
work_keys_str_mv AT lonebaandrup investigatingtheassociationofmechanicalrestraintwithsomaticharmfuloutcomesnationalregisterbasedstudy
AT mariekruse investigatingtheassociationofmechanicalrestraintwithsomaticharmfuloutcomesnationalregisterbasedstudy