Objective: The Swedish Compulsory Mental Care Act (LPT) of 1992 emphasises the participation of patients and relatives in the treatment of the patients. The purpose of this study was to compare patients' experiences under the LPT with patients' experiences under the previous law.
Method: Samples of 44 committed patients and 40 voluntarily admitted patients in 1991 and 49 committed and 49 voluntarily admitted patients in 1997/98 were interviewed at admission and at discharge, or after 3 weeks of care.
Results: There were similar proportions of committed and voluntarily admitted patients, respectively, in 1991 and 1997/98 who reported participation in treatment planning and participation of relatives and who reported deprivation of liberty, but more committed patients in 1997/98 reported coercive measures.
Conclusion: There were few differences of the patient's experiences between the study occasions. The fundamental aims of the legislation have not been fulfilled.