Temporal patterns and individual characteristics of compulsory treatment orders for mental disorders in Scotland from 2007 to 2020
2024

Compulsory Treatment Orders for Mental Disorders in Scotland (2007-2020)

Sample size: 32352 publication 10 minutes Evidence: high

Author Information

Author(s): Lisa Schölin, Rohan Borschmann, Arun Chopra

Primary Institution: Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, UK

Hypothesis

What are the number and characteristics of those treated under a compulsory treatment order and how have numbers changed over time?

Conclusion

There has been a marked rise of community-based compulsory treatment orders in Scotland.

Supporting Evidence

  • The number of individuals on a community-based order increased by 118% from 2007 to 2020.
  • 57.3% of orders starting in 2007 were extended, compared with 43.7% in 2020.
  • The median duration was 6 months for first-time orders and 9 months for subsequent orders.

Takeaway

The number of people getting treatment for mental health issues in the community has increased a lot, and more people are now getting treated this way than in hospitals.

Methodology

Retrospective analysis of compulsory treatment orders in Scotland from 2007 to 2020.

Potential Biases

Potential underrepresentation of certain ethnic groups due to incomplete data.

Limitations

Missing data on ethnicity and SIMD categories, and lack of diagnostic information.

Participant Demographics

Participants included individuals treated under compulsory treatment orders, with a higher proportion from deprived and ethnic minority communities.

Statistical Information

P-Value

p<0.001

Confidence Interval

95% CI 34.9–38.1 to 48.9–52.7

Statistical Significance

p<0.001

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1192/bjo.2024.751

Want to read the original?

Access the complete publication on the publisher's website

View Original Publication