Assessing decision-making capacity in clinical practice in Norway: a qualitative exploration of stakeholder perspectives.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Decision-making capacity (DMC) is a widely used criterion in health law, but assessments pose challenges in practice. In Norway, lacking DMC became an additional criterion for involuntary care and treatment following comprehensive amendments to the Mental Health Care Act in 2017. Contrary to the amendments' objectives, involuntary care rates have continued to increase after an initial reduction in 2017. Assessing DMC typically involves four abilities: understanding, reasoning, appreciating relevant information, and communicating a choice. This four abilities model was introduced to aid in DMC assessments. With limited assessment experience pre-2017, the Norwegian context offers valuable insights into how stakeholders integrate DMC into clinical practice over time. This s

SUBMITTER: Jorem J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12512581 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature