2009/10/31 by Tim Lambert, Bruce Singh, Maxine X. Patel · 1 citation
Psychology · Medicine · #Healthcare Decision-Making and Restraints #Schizophrenia research and treatment #Clinical practice guidelines implementation
paper · pdf · doi:10.1192/bjp.195.52.s57
openalex publication_date 2009/10/31 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/03
BACKGROUND: The community treatment order (CTO) is the legal framework by which people in the community are compelled to accept treatment. Both antipsychotic long-acting injections (LAIs) and CTOs are used to address treatment non-adherence. AIMS: To investigate the relationship between CTOs and LAI use in patients with schizophrenia. METHOD: Prescribing, demographic and CTO data were collected for patients from four community mental health clinics in Melbourne, Australia, in 1998 and 2002. RESULTS: Against a background of increasing use of oral second-generation antipsychotic (SGA) medication and decreasing use of LAIs, the rates of CTO implementation doubled from 13% to 26% of patients with schizophrenia between 1998 and 2002. Proportionally more patients with a CTO are prescribed LAIs rather than oral SGAs. CONCLUSIONS: The relationship between receiving an LAI and being subject to a CTO is significant, and reflects the consideration given to enhancing adherence in a community mental health setting.