Human Rights of Persons With Mental Illness After the Korean Mental Health Act Revision: A Qualitative Study

• Published in: Journal of psychosocial nursing and mental health services Vol. 60; no. 8; pp. 1 - 9
• Main Authors: Yu, Soo-Young, Heo, Jongho, Yoon, Nan-He, Lee, Manwoo, Shin, Soyoun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Thorofare, NJ SLACK Incorporated 01.08.2022; Slack, Inc; SLACK INCORPORATED
• Subjects: Bipolar disorder; Civil rights; Continuity of care; Data analysis; Demographic aspects; Families & family life; Family; Forensic psychiatry; Guardians; Health aspects; Homeless people; Hospitalization; Human rights; Interviews; Involuntary treatment; Laws, regulations and rules; Mental disorders; Mental health; Mental health care; Mentally ill; Patient-centered care; Patients; Patients' rights; Psychiatrists; Psychological aspects; Psychosis; Qualitative research; Schizophrenia; South Korea
• ISSN: 0279-3695; 1938-2413
• DOI: 10.3928/02793695-20220315-02

After the Constitutional Court of Korea ruled that the provision of involuntary admissions was unconstitutional, as it violates personal freedom, the Mental Health and Welfare Act was amended in 2016. The current study explores involuntary admission and discharge experiences, after the law's revision, from a patient-centered perspective and suggests future directions to protect human rights. Data were collected from seven persons with mental illness and three family members through in-depth individual interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. Persons with mental illness were still not guaranteed full autonomy and the right to receive proper treatment due to lack of mental health resources. The burden on family caregivers was amplified by stricter admission requirements. These results indicate the need for human rights–friendly emergency services, including peer crisis shelters and procedural assistance services. The government should develop community-based mental health services to ensure continuity of care without imposing public responsibility on family members. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, xx(xx), xx–xx.]