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An audit of violent incidents in a drug treatment centre

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2014

Sabina Fahy ,
Roy Browne ,
Darina Sloan ,
Shay Keating  and
John O'Connor
Sabina Fahy
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University College Hospital, Galway, Ireland
Roy Browne
Affiliation:
St Davnet's Hospital, Monaghan, Ireland
Darina Sloan
Affiliation:
St Ita's Hospital, Portrane, Co Dublin, Ireland
John O'Connor
Affiliation:
Drug Treatment Centre, Trinity Court, 30/31 Pearse Street, Dublin 2, Ireland
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Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of, and factors associated with violence in a drug treatment centre.

Method: This study is a retrospective audit of all incident forms completed at an urban drug treatment centre between December 1991 and July 1996 with reference to case notes for additional clinical information on individuals involved in violent incidents.

Participants included all patients attending the centre in the aforementioned time period who were involved in violent incidents. Information was obtained about the prevalence and severity of violent incidents and patient details including main drug of abuse, route of use, reason for attendance, comorbid axis 1 diagnosis, history of previous incidents and HIV status at the time of the incident.

Results: One per cent of all patients were involved in violent incidents. Less than one quarter of incidents involved serious injury or assault. Most perpetrators were male intravenous heroin users on a methadone maintenance programme. Nurses and doctors were most frequently the victims of incidents. Ten per cent of patients had a history of previous incidents and almost half the perpetrators were HIV positive. A comorbid axis 1 diagnosis was found in 9% of perpetrators (n = 6), mainly alcohol dependence syndrome.

Keywords

ViolenceDrug Treatment CentreDrug abuse
Type
Audit
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 17 , Issue 1 , March 2000 , pp. 29 - 33
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2000

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