PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Mark J. Russ
AU  - Majnu John
TI  - Outcomes Associated With Court-Ordered Treatment Over Objection in an Acute Psychiatric Hospital
DP  - 2013 Jun 01
TA  - Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Online
PG  - 236--244
VI  - 41
IP  - 2
4099  - http://jaapl.org/content/41/2/236.short
4100  - http://jaapl.org/content/41/2/236.full
SO  - J Am Acad Psychiatry Law2013 Jun 01; 41
AB  - The postdischarge outcomes of court-ordered treatment of acute psychiatric inpatients have not been adequately investigated. We reviewed the medical records of all patients who refused medication for whom a court order was sought during a recent three-year period, and compared this group to control patients who agreed to treatment and a group of patients who transiently refused medication. The principal outcome measures were successful linkage after discharge, readmission within six months of discharge, and transfer to a state hospital. The study group was less likely to link to an aftercare provider, and more likely to be transferred to a state hospital, had poorer insight on admission, had a longer average stay, and was more likely to utilize mandatory outpatient treatment and long-acting injectable medications after discharge. Patients who require court-ordered medication over objection constitute a group that is high risk for nonadherence after discharge and being refractive to treatment.