Work

Temporal patterns and individual characteristics of compulsory treatment orders for mental disorders in Scotland from 2007 to 2020

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Compulsory mental health treatment has increased globally. In Scotland, compulsory treatment for >28 days is permitted under hospital- and community-based compulsory treatment orders. Community-based compulsory treatment has not been shown to lead to improved outcomes, and scrutiny of their use is needed. AIMS: To describe the trend, duration and demographic characteristics of compulsory treatment orders in Scotland over a 14-year period. METHOD: We conducted a retrospective analysis of order use in Scotland from 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2020, focusing on the (a) number and demographic characteristics of those treated, (b) duration, (c) extensions beyond the 6-month review point and (d) characteristics of new versus continued orders. RESULTS: 1532) for hospital-based orders. Of orders starting in 2007, 57.3% were extended, compared with 43.7% in 2020. The median duration was 6 months for first-time orders and 9 months for subsequent orders, which were longest for males (median 11 months); those of African, Caribbean or Black (median 11 months), Asian (median 11 months) and mixed ethnicity (median 10 months); and individuals from the most deprived communities (median 10 months). CONCLUSIONS: There has been a marked rise of community-based compulsory treatment orders in Scotland. If existing trends continue, there will be more people receiving care under community-based orders than hospital-based orders, fundamentally changing the nature of involuntary treatment. Further work needs to explore associations between demographic and diagnostic characteristics on order duration.

Source: BJPsych Open

DOI: 10.1192/bjo.2024.751

Authors: Lisa Schölin, Rohan Borschmann, Arun Chopra

Institutions: University of Edinburgh, The University of Melbourne, Curtin University, University of Oxford, Murdoch Children's Research Institute

Language: English

Topic: Healthcare Decision-Making and Restraints

Subfield: Clinical Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,450