Prevalence of mental incapacity in medical inpatients and associated risk factors: cross-sectional study

Hospitalization-Associated Disability in Adults Admitted to a Safety-Net Hospital

“…2 Cognitive impairment (often transient) 4 is no less important, affecting over 30 % of medicine inpatients. 3 Sicker hospitalized patients whose median age was 62 years performed similarly to children less than 10 years of age in tasks of judgment, despite near normal MMSE scores, suggesting impaired thinking and poor capacity for health-related decision-making. 5 Later consequences of mood and cognition problems may include reduced quality of life and lower adherence.…”

“…1,2 These alterations in mood and cognition share five characteristics in common: a multifaceted etiology; high prevalence in hospitalized patients; occurrence that is age-dependent, but not limited to the geriatric population; often being 'below the radar' and very often being under-recognized by physicians. 3 In addition, their impact on patient's health is far-reaching.…”

Assessment of mental capacity: who can do it?

“…Many patients who do not have capacity to consent are given hospital treatment informally both in the medical and psychiatric setting (Raymont et al, 2004;Cairns et al, 2005) and it is argued that their rights are not protected. Protecting the rights of in-patients with mental illness who lack capacity to consent was highlighted in England by the Bournewood case (L. v. Bournewood Community and Mental Health NHS Trust [1998]).…”

The assessment of mental capacity

“…The largest was performed by the author and colleagues in King's College Hospital. 21 One hundred and fifty-nine patients were interviewed, all of whom had been admitted acutely on general medical take. The patient was asked about the main treatment or investigation for which they were hospitalised, using the MacCAT-T. 12 We found that 31% of all patients interviewed were judged according to English legal standards to lack mental capacity.…”