Compulsory Hospitalization Does Not Improve Outcomes
April 24, 2012
Researchers in Israel followed 320 patients who had been admitted involuntarily with schizophrenia diagnoses. 157 (49%) left the hospital against medical advice (AMA), and 163 (51%) agreed to stay. There were no differences in baseline clinical characteristics between compliant and non-compliant patients. Outcome measures in terms of rate of readmission, legal status of next admission, or length of stay in the next admission did not differ between the two groups. The study will appear in Comprehensive Psychiatry.
Interesting article. A better headline might be “Voluntary Hospitalization Does Not Improve Outcomes” or perhaps “Heeding Medical Advice Does Not Improve Outcomes” since none of the study subjects differed in terms of the compulsory period of hospitalization.
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True. Well said. Thanks.
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This is a REALLY important finding! So much energy is spent trying to force or manipulate or cajole clients into complying with their medical regimes – to find a clear study saying it doesn’t matter one way or the other if you ignore your psychiatrist’s advice is very powerful!
—- Steve
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