This first-of-its-kind text provides a multidisciplinary overview of a significant problem in hospital-based healthcare:  patients who decline inpatient medical care and leave the hospital against medical advice (AMA).   Compared to standard hospital discharges, AMA discharges are associated with worse health and health services outcomes.   Patients discharged AMA have been found to have disproportionately higher rates of substance use, psychiatric illness, and report stigmatization and reduced access to care.  By providing a far reaching examination of AMA discharges for a wide academic and clinical audience, the book serves as a reference for clinical care, research, and the development of professional guidelines and institutional policy.  The book provides both a broad overview of AMA discharges with chapters on the epidemiology, ethical and legal aspects, as well as social science perspectives.