TABLE 3.

The five advantages/disadvantages reported most often in studies of experience and views of compulsory community treatment (CCT).

Advantages
Patients
- CCT facilitated access to care - Patients experienced increased support - CCT could improve mental health - CCT provided more freedom than involuntary admission - CCT provided a safety net and a sense of security
Significant others
- CCT facilitated access to care - CCT facilitated earlier admission - CCT could provide more safety for the patient - CCT could take some of the burden away from family members - CCT could lead to greater carer involvement
Mental health workers
- CCT provided an opportunity to stay in touch and to monitor the patient’s mental health - CCT could enhance compliance to treatment - CCT could provide a safety net - Provided more freedom than involuntary admission - CCT could improve mental health and avoid involuntary admission
Disadvantages
Patients
- CCT constrained autonomy and was coercive - CCT was stigmatizing - CCT interfered with daily life - The focus of CCT lay too much on medication - Patients had to deal with the side-effects of forced medication
Significant others
- CCT constrained autonomy and was coercive - CCT focused too much on medication - The process of applying for CCT was too cumbersome - CCT could be stigmatizing - CCT also put a strain on carers, involving them in treatment
Mental health workers
- CCT constrained autonomy and is coercive - CCT could interfere with the therapeutic relationship - CCT imposed an extra administrative burden - CCT could be stigmatizing - CCT focused too much on medication