background In England, rates of involuntary admissions increased in subgroups of patients. It is unknown whether this is true in other European countries.

aims To establish whether the increase in emergency commitments was uniform across subgroups of patients and dangerousness criteria used to justify commitment in the Netherlands.

method National data on all commitments in the period 2000-2004.

results Commitments increased from 40.2 to 46.5 (16%) per 100,000 inhabitants. Controlling for population changes in age and sex, relatively large increases were found in patients over 50 years (25-40% increase), in patients with dementia (59%), 'other organic mental disorders' (40%) and substance abuse (36%). 'Arousing aggression' increased most strongly as a dangerousness criterion for commitment (30%).

conclusion Changing patterns of commitments in the Netherlands and England might indicate a wider European shift in diagnoses and reasons for admission of committed patients.