Percepção de coerção de pacientes internados em uma ala psiquiátrica

Abstract

The Brazilian anti-asylum movement promoted several legal and social changes with regard to ensuring the rights of people with mental disorders. At the same time, psychiatric practice is still a health service that uses coercive practices throughout treatment, whether formal or informal. The patient's perception of coercion, on the other hand, is a variable that is independent of the legal or otherwise use of coercive practices in treatment. The objective of the present study is to know the perception of coercion of patients hospitalized in a psychiatric ward. The participants were 10 patients hospitalized for at least two weeks in a psychiatric ward of a public hospital in the interior of Rio Grande do Sul. Data were collected through a socioeconomic questionnaire, and a semi-structured interview and submitted to qualitative analysis. It was verified that the patients' beliefs and feelings regarding the hospitalization context, the relationship with the professionals and their own participation in their treatment are related to a lesser or greater perception of coercion, both from voluntary hospitalized patients and from involuntarily. The feeling of imprisonment and boredom, together with failures in communication and bonding with the local team, seem to be related to a greater perception of coercion on the part of patients. On the other hand, active participation in treatment and building good bonds with other patients and professionals seem to be related to a lower perception of coercion. Finally, a reduced perception of coercion contributes to adapting to the unit's routine and adherence to treatment.