Patients with schizophrenia and their experiences with legally mandated treatment

ABSTRACT:

Background:  

Schizophrenia is a psychiatric disorder that affects approximately 1% of people worldwide and is a leading cause of disability.  Individuals with schizophrenia often experience emotional, cognitive, and behavioral symptoms.  Patients with severe forms of psychiatric illness, including schizophrenia, may be legally mandated to receive treatment – which typically occurs if they pose a risk to themselves or others.  We aim to describe the experiences of patients with schizophrenia and related disorders who were legally mandated to undergo psychiatric treatment.

Methods: 

Four electronic databases were searched for themes related to schizophrenia, legally mandated treatment, and patient experience.  Studies where at least 50% of participants had a diagnosis of schizophrenia were included.  Qualitative studies that reported on the experiences of patients who underwent any form of legally mandated treatment were included.  We categorized study results as reporting on positive and negative patient experiences.  Additional subthemes were identified.  The quality…