Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this project was to appraise the perspectives of Tehran psychiatrists on exist- ing mental health laws.

Method: A questionnaire was provided either via mail or in person to 312 psychiatrists working in Tehran 160 of them responded. Data were analyzed by descriptive-statistical methods.

Findings: Data obtained from the age groups of under and over 40 years old as well as male and female groups were studied. 20% of psychiatrists are not aware of the existing laws over 75% of them have encountered legal difficulties during their profession more than 70% of them acknow-ledged that the existing laws are insufficient. The research showed that female psychiatrists have faced legal difficulties 12% more than their male counterparts in their profession. 78% of all psy-chiatrists believed that there are not any standards for the protection of mentally ill patients and near 69% alleged that the judicial system has not secured any laws in support of the psychiatrists. 62% of respondents claimed that existing laws regarding hospitalization and discharge of mentally ill patients are inadequate.

Results: The laws related to national mental health are deficient in the perspectives of psychi-atrists.