Lunacy, time of the year and absconding from a psychiatric hospital

ABSTRACT

Personal characteristics of patients and environmental factors at psychiatric hospitals have been identified as predictors of absconding. In this chapter we seek to establish a relationship between time of the year and absconding. All characteristics of absconders were taken over a two-year period from hospital records (N=104). Public holidays and lunar phases were obtained through almanacs for each year; and school vacation period was determined by reference to a school academic calender. Fridays was the most popular day of the week for absconding. Males were more likely to escape on the weekends while females tended to escape during the wet season. Christmas was the most popular holiday season for absconding. The largest percentage of absconding was at the full moon phase. It is recommended that the system of patient care should be client driven at all times and greater supervision of patients is needed on weekends, vacation periods and during the full moon phase.