{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,27]],"date-time":"2026-10-27T15:08:45Z","timestamp":1793113725099,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":39,"publisher":"Springer Science and Business Media LLC","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2014,3,27]],"date-time":"2014-03-27T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1395878400000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/www.springer.com\/tdm"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["link.springer.com"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["BMC Psychiatry"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2014,12]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n          <jats:sec>\n            <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n            <jats:p>Absconding from hospital is a significant health and security issue within psychiatric facilities that can have considerable adverse effects on patients, their family members and care providers, as well as the wider community. Several studies have documented correlates associated with absconding events among general psychiatric samples; however, few studies have examined this phenomenon within samples of forensic patients where the perception of threat to public safety in the event of an unauthorized absence from hospital is often higher.<\/jats:p>\n          <\/jats:sec>\n          <jats:sec>\n            <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n            <jats:p>We investigate the frequency, timing, and determinants of absconding events among a sample of forensic psychiatric patients over a 24-month period, and compare patients who abscond to a control group matched along several sociodemographic and clinical dimensions. We explore, in a qualitative manner, patients\u2019 motives for absconding.<\/jats:p>\n          <\/jats:sec>\n          <jats:sec>\n            <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n            <jats:p>Fifty-seven patients were responsible for 102 incidents of absconding during the two year study window. Forensic patients who absconded from hospital were more likely to have a history of absconding attempts, a diagnosed substance use disorder, as well as score higher on a structured professional violence risk assessment measure. Only one of the absconding events identified included an incident of minor violence, and very few included the commission of other illegal behaviors (with the exception of substance use). The most common reported motive for absconding was a sense of boredom or frustration.<\/jats:p>\n          <\/jats:sec>\n          <jats:sec>\n            <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n            <jats:p>Using an inclusive definition of absconding, we found that absconding events were generally of brief duration, and that no member of the public was harmed by patients who absconded. Findings surrounding the motivations of absconders suggest that improvements in therapeutic communication between patients and clinical teams could help to reduce the occurrence of absconding events.<\/jats:p>\n          <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1186\/1471-244x-14-91","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2014,3,27]],"date-time":"2014-03-27T08:03:13Z","timestamp":1395907393000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/springer_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":60,"title":["Characteristics and motivations of absconders from forensic mental health services: a case-control study"],"prefix":"10.1186","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Treena","family":"Wilkie","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Stephanie R","family":"Penney","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Stephanie","family":"Fernane","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Alexander I F","family":"Simpson","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"297","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2014,3,27]]},"reference":[{"key":"1846_CR1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"343","DOI":"10.1046\/j.1365-2850.1998.00149.x","volume":"5","author":"L Bowers","year":"1998","unstructured":"Bowers L, Jarrett M, Clark N: Absconding: a literature review. J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs. 1998, 5: 343-353. 10.1046\/j.1365-2850.1998.00149.x.","journal-title":"J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs"},{"key":"1846_CR2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"794","DOI":"10.1177\/088626097012006002","volume":"12","author":"VL Quinsey","year":"1997","unstructured":"Quinsey VL, Coleman G, Jones B, Altrows IF: Proximal antecedents of eloping and reoffending among supervised mentally disordered offenders. J Interpers Violence. 1997, 12: 794-813. 10.1177\/088626097012006002.","journal-title":"J Interpers Violence"},{"key":"1846_CR3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1186\/1471-244X-10-14","volume":"10","author":"IM Hunt","year":"2010","unstructured":"Hunt IM, Windfuhr K, Swinson N, Shaw J, Appleby L, Kapur N: Suicide amongst psychiatric in-patients who abscond from the ward: a national clinical survey. BMC Psychiatry. 2010, 10: 1-6. 10.1186\/1471-244X-10-1.","journal-title":"BMC Psychiatry"},{"key":"1846_CR4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"460","DOI":"10.1192\/bjp.145.5.460","volume":"145","author":"JL Crammer","year":"1984","unstructured":"Crammer JL: The special characteristics of suicide in hospital in-patients. Br J Psychiatry. 1984, 145: 460-463. 10.1192\/bjp.145.5.460.","journal-title":"Br J Psychiatry"},{"key":"1846_CR5","first-page":"275","volume":"22","author":"P Niskanen","year":"1974","unstructured":"Niskanen P, Lonnqvist J, Achte K, Rinta-Manty R: Suicides in Helsinki psychiatric hospitals in 1964-1972. Psychiatr Fenn. 1974, 22: 275-280.","journal-title":"Psychiatr Fenn"},{"key":"1846_CR6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"15","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1600-0447.1987.tb02856.x","volume":"76","author":"UB Sundqvist-Stensman","year":"1987","unstructured":"Sundqvist-Stensman UB: Suicides in close connection with psychiatric care: an analysis of 57 cases in a Swedish country. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 1987, 76: 15-20.","journal-title":"Acta Psychiatr Scand"},{"key":"1846_CR7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"543","DOI":"10.1046\/j.1351-0126.2001.00426.x","volume":"8","author":"GL Dickens","year":"2001","unstructured":"Dickens GL, Campbell J: Absconding of patients from an independent UK psychiatric hospital: a 3-year retrospective analysis of events and characteristics of absconders. J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs. 2001, 8: 543-550. 10.1046\/j.1351-0126.2001.00426.x.","journal-title":"J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs"},{"key":"1846_CR8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"199","DOI":"10.1046\/j.1365-2850.1999.630199.x","volume":"6","author":"L Bowers","year":"1999","unstructured":"Bowers L, Jarrett M, Clark N, Kiyimba F, McFarlane L: Absconding: why patients leave. J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs. 1999, 6: 199-205. 10.1046\/j.1365-2850.1999.630199.x.","journal-title":"J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs"},{"key":"1846_CR9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"351","DOI":"10.1192\/pb.22.6.351","volume":"22","author":"E Walsh","year":"1998","unstructured":"Walsh E, Rooney S, Sloan D, McAuley P, Mulvaney F, O\u2019Callaghan E, Larkin C: Irish psychiatric absconders: characteristics and outcome. Psychiatr Bull. 1998, 22: 351-353. 10.1192\/pb.22.6.351.","journal-title":"Psychiatr Bull"},{"key":"1846_CR10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"46","DOI":"10.1080\/09585189908402138","volume":"10","author":"R Brook","year":"1999","unstructured":"Brook R, Dolan M, Coorey P: Absconding of patients detained in an English Special Hospital. J Forensic Psychiatr. 1999, 10: 46-58. 10.1080\/09585189908402138.","journal-title":"J Forensic Psychiatr"},{"key":"1846_CR11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"275","DOI":"10.1080\/09585189408412298","volume":"5","author":"M Dolan","year":"1994","unstructured":"Dolan M, Snowden P: Escapes from a medium secure unit. J Forensic Psychiatr. 1994, 5: 275-286. 10.1080\/09585189408412298.","journal-title":"J Forensic Psychiatr"},{"key":"1846_CR12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"45","DOI":"10.1080\/09585189308407791","volume":"4","author":"R Huws","year":"1993","unstructured":"Huws R, Shubsachs A: A study of absconding by special hospital patients: 1976 to 1988. J Forensic Psychiatr. 1993, 4: 45-58. 10.1080\/09585189308407791.","journal-title":"J Forensic Psychiatr"},{"key":"1846_CR13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"245","DOI":"10.1080\/09585189008408474","volume":"1","author":"J Smith","year":"1990","unstructured":"Smith J, Quaynor E: Absconding from a regional secure unit. J Forensic Psychiatr. 1990, 1: 245-250. 10.1080\/09585189008408474.","journal-title":"J Forensic Psychiatr"},{"key":"1846_CR14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"105","DOI":"10.1016\/0160-2527(88)90024-6","volume":"11","author":"SL Bieber","year":"1988","unstructured":"Bieber SL, Pasewark RA, Bosten K, Steadman HJ: Predicting criminal recidivism of insanity acquittees. Int J Law Psychiatry. 1988, 11: 105-112. 10.1016\/0160-2527(88)90024-6.","journal-title":"Int J Law Psychiatry"},{"key":"1846_CR15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"487","DOI":"10.1002\/bsl.2370090411","volume":"9","author":"RA Nicholson","year":"1991","unstructured":"Nicholson RA, Norwood S, Enyart C: Characteristics and outcomes of insanity acquittees in Oklahoma. Behav Sci Law. 1991, 9: 487-500. 10.1002\/bsl.2370090411.","journal-title":"Behav Sci Law"},{"key":"1846_CR16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"706","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-2702.2010.03553.x","volume":"20","author":"E Muir-Cochrane","year":"2011","unstructured":"Muir-Cochrane E, Mosel K, Gerace A, Esterman A, Bowers L: The profile of absconding psychiatric inpatients in Australia. J Clin Nurs. 2011, 20: 706-713. 10.1111\/j.1365-2702.2010.03553.x.","journal-title":"J Clin Nurs"},{"key":"1846_CR17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"44","DOI":"10.1520\/JFS10963J","volume":"30","author":"G Molnar","year":"1985","unstructured":"Molnar G, Keitner L, Swindall L: Medicolegal problems of elopement from psychiatric units. J Forensic Sci. 1985, 30: 44-49.","journal-title":"J Forensic Sci"},{"key":"1846_CR18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"177","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.1.5272.177","volume":"1","author":"DJ Muller","year":"1962","unstructured":"Muller DJ: The \u2018missing\u2019 patient. Br Med J. 1962, 1: 177-179. 10.1136\/bmj.1.5272.177.","journal-title":"Br Med J"},{"key":"1846_CR19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"644","DOI":"10.1046\/j.1365-2648.2000.01523.x","volume":"32","author":"L Bowers","year":"2000","unstructured":"Bowers L, Jarrett M, Clark N, Kiyimba F, McFarlane L: Determinants of absconding by patients on acute psychiatric wards. J Adv Nurs. 2000, 32: 644-649. 10.1046\/j.1365-2648.2000.01523.x.","journal-title":"J Adv Nurs"},{"key":"1846_CR20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"117","DOI":"10.1177\/002076409904500204","volume":"45","author":"B Andoh","year":"1999","unstructured":"Andoh B: Selected characteristics of absconders and non-absconders from mental hospitals: a comparison. Int J Soc Psychiatry. 1999, 45: 117-124. 10.1177\/002076409904500204.","journal-title":"Int J Soc Psychiatry"},{"key":"1846_CR21","first-page":"153","volume":"22","author":"LS Kleis","year":"1991","unstructured":"Kleis LS, Stout CE: The high-risk patient: a profile of acute care psychiatric patients who leave without discharge. Psychiatr Hosp. 1991, 22: 153-159.","journal-title":"Psychiatr Hosp"},{"key":"1846_CR22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"344","DOI":"10.1080\/09585180050142561","volume":"11","author":"E Moore","year":"2000","unstructured":"Moore E: A descriptive analysis of incidents of absconding and escape from the English high-security hospitals, 1989-94. J Forensic Psychiatr. 2000, 11: 344-358. 10.1080\/09585180050142561.","journal-title":"J Forensic Psychiatr"},{"key":"1846_CR23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"370","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1447-0349.2008.00562.x","volume":"17","author":"E Muir-Cochrane","year":"2008","unstructured":"Muir-Cochrane E, Mosel KA: Absconding: a review of literature 1996-2008. Int J Ment Health Nurs. 2008, 17: 370-378. 10.1111\/j.1447-0349.2008.00562.x.","journal-title":"Int J Ment Health Nurs"},{"key":"1846_CR24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"368","DOI":"10.1192\/bjp.154.3.368","volume":"154","author":"AR Tomison","year":"1989","unstructured":"Tomison AR: Characteristics of psychiatric hospital absconders. Br J Psychiatry. 1989, 154: 368-371. 10.1192\/bjp.154.3.368.","journal-title":"Br J Psychiatry"},{"key":"1846_CR25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"73","DOI":"10.1097\/00001786-199110000-00011","volume":"6","author":"I Richmond","year":"1991","unstructured":"Richmond I, Dandridge L, Jones K: Changing nursing practice to prevent elopement. J Nurs Care Qual. 1991, 6: 73-81. 10.1097\/00001786-199110000-00011.","journal-title":"J Nurs Care Qual"},{"key":"1846_CR26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"488","DOI":"10.1192\/bjp.156.4.488","volume":"156","author":"J Falkowski","year":"1990","unstructured":"Falkowski J, Watts V, Falkowski W, Dean T: Patients leaving hospital without the knowledge or permission of staff \u2013 absconding. Br J Psychiatry. 1990, 156: 488-490. 10.1192\/bjp.156.4.488.","journal-title":"Br J Psychiatry"},{"key":"1846_CR27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"124","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-2850.2009.01482.x","volume":"17","author":"J Jones","year":"2010","unstructured":"Jones J, Nolan P, Bowers L, Simpson A, Whittington R, Hackney D: Psychiatric wards: Places of safety?. J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs. 2010, 17: 124-130. 10.1111\/j.1365-2850.2009.01482.x.","journal-title":"J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs"},{"key":"1846_CR28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2573","DOI":"10.1016\/j.socscimed.2004.04.005","volume":"59","author":"A Quirk","year":"2004","unstructured":"Quirk A, Lelliott P, Seale C: Service users\u2019 strategies for managing risk in the volatile environment of an acute psychiatric ward. Soc Sci Med. 2004, 59: 2573-2583. 10.1016\/j.socscimed.2004.04.005.","journal-title":"Soc Sci Med"},{"key":"1846_CR29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2105","DOI":"10.1016\/j.socscimed.2006.05.021","volume":"63","author":"A Quirk","year":"2006","unstructured":"Quirk A, Lelliott P, Seale C: The permeable intitution: An ethnographic study of three acute psychiatric wards in London. Soc Sci Med. 2006, 63: 2105-2117. 10.1016\/j.socscimed.2006.05.021.","journal-title":"Soc Sci Med"},{"key":"1846_CR30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"304","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1447-0349.2012.00873.x","volume":"22","author":"E Muir-Cochrane","year":"2013","unstructured":"Muir-Cochrane E, Oster C, Grotto J, Gerace A, Jones J: The inpatient psychiatric unit as both a safe and unsafe place: Implications for absconding. Int J Ment Health Nurs. 2013, 22: 304-312. 10.1111\/j.1447-0349.2012.00873.x.","journal-title":"Int J Ment Health Nurs"},{"key":"1846_CR31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"359","DOI":"10.1080\/09585180050142570","volume":"11","author":"E Moore","year":"2000","unstructured":"Moore E, Hammond S: When statistical models fail: problems in the prediction of escape and absconding behaviour from high-security hospitals. J Forensic Psychiatr. 2000, 11: 359-371. 10.1080\/09585180050142570.","journal-title":"J Forensic Psychiatr"},{"key":"1846_CR32","volume-title":"HCR-20: Assessing Risk for Violence (Version 2)","author":"CD Webster","year":"1997","unstructured":"Webster CD, Douglas KS, Eaves D, Hart SD: HCR-20: Assessing Risk for Violence (Version 2). 1997, Burnaby, BC, Canada: Mental Health, Law, and Policy Institute, Simon Fraser University"},{"key":"1846_CR33","volume-title":"Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised","author":"RD Hare","year":"2003","unstructured":"Hare RD: Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised. 2003, Toronto, ON: Multi-Health Systems, 2","edition":"2"},{"key":"1846_CR34","first-page":"791","volume":"44","author":"G Molnar","year":"1993","unstructured":"Molnar G, Pinchoff DM: Factors in patient elopements from an urban state hospital and strategies for prevention. Hosp Community Psychiatry. 1993, 44: 791-792.","journal-title":"Hosp Community Psychiatry"},{"key":"1846_CR35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"384","DOI":"10.1192\/bjp.bp.107.044065","volume":"192","author":"NS Gray","year":"2008","unstructured":"Gray NS, Taylor J, Snowden RJ: Predicting violent reconvictions using the HCR-20. Br J Psychiatry. 2008, 192: 384-387. 10.1192\/bjp.bp.107.044065.","journal-title":"Br J Psychiatry"},{"key":"1846_CR36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"469","DOI":"10.1002\/ab.20044","volume":"30","author":"M Dolan","year":"2004","unstructured":"Dolan M, Khawaja A: The HCR-20 and post-discharge outcome in male patients discharged from medium security in the UK. Aggress Behav. 2004, 30: 469-483. 10.1002\/ab.20044.","journal-title":"Aggress Behav"},{"key":"1846_CR37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"233","DOI":"10.1080\/14999013.2011.598601","volume":"10","author":"ELB Hilterman","year":"2011","unstructured":"Hilterman ELB, Philipse MWG, de Graaf ND: Assessment of offending during leave: development of the Leave Risk Assessment in a sample of Dutch forensic psychiatric patients. Int J Forensic Ment Health. 2011, 10: 233-243. 10.1080\/14999013.2011.598601.","journal-title":"Int J Forensic Ment Health"},{"key":"1846_CR38","volume-title":"Management of restrictions on patient liberties in a forensic psychiatric hospital setting","author":"J Livingston","year":"2006","unstructured":"Livingston J, Balmer J: Management of restrictions on patient liberties in a forensic psychiatric hospital setting. 2006, Vancouver, BC, Canada: Research and Quality Department, BC Mental Health and Addiction Services"},{"key":"1846_CR39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"410","DOI":"10.1046\/j.1365-2850.2003.00619.x","volume":"10","author":"L Bowers","year":"2003","unstructured":"Bowers L, Alexander J, Gaskell C: A trial of an anti-absconding intervention in acute psychiatric wards. J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs. 2003, 10: 410-416. 10.1046\/j.1365-2850.2003.00619.x.","journal-title":"J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs"}],"container-title":["BMC Psychiatry"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"http:\/\/link.springer.com\/content\/pdf\/10.1186\/1471-244X-14-91.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"http:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1186\/1471-244X-14-91\/fulltext.html","content-type":"text\/html","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"http:\/\/link.springer.com\/content\/pdf\/10.1186\/1471-244X-14-91","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"},{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/content\/pdf\/10.1186\/1471-244X-14-91.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2021,9,2]],"date-time":"2021-09-02T10:27:32Z","timestamp":1630578452000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com\/articles\/10.1186\/1471-244X-14-91"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2014,3,27]]},"references-count":39,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2014,12]]}},"alternative-id":["1846"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1186\/1471-244x-14-91","relation":{},"ISSN":["1471-244X"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1471-244X","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2014,3,27]]},"assertion":[{"value":"26 August 2013","order":1,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"19 March 2014","order":2,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"27 March 2014","order":3,"name":"first_online","label":"First Online","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}}],"article-number":"91"}}