What determines compulsory community treatment? A logistic regression analysis using linked mental health and offender databases.

OBJECTIVE

Western Australia has one of the highest published rates of the use of compulsory treatment orders in the English-speaking world. Differences in patient characteristics, legislation and service setting may explain variations in the reported efficacy of compulsory community treatment. Our objective is to investigate predictors of Community Treatment Orders (CTO) placement in the first year of implementation in Western Australia and see if there were any differences in the type of patients placed on these orders compared to other studies.

METHOD: A population-based record linkage study of Mental Health and Offender Databases comparing 265 patients on CTOs with a consecutive control group (CCG) of equal number matched on date of discharge from inpatient care or CTO placement.

RESULTS

Previous health service use, after-care placement, mental disorder history including schizophrenic history, a positive forensic history of violence to others as well as patient's marital status were the significant predictors of CTO placement.

CONCLUSIONS

Studies of compulsory community treatment appear to be of similar populations. In spite of the comparatively high rate of use, psychiatrists in Western Australia do not appear to be applying community treatment orders to different types of patient compared to elsewhere. We need further research to establish the relative contribution of patient characteristics, legislation and service setting toward the use and outcome of compulsory community treatment.