S11.01 - Violence among severely mentally ill patients in general psychiatric services

Abstract

Previous studies have shown that most patients in forensic services are men with schizophrenic disorders who have a long history of treatment in general psychiatry, during which time they were committing crimes and engaging in aggressive behaviour. The present study was designed to examine violent behaviour among severely mentally ill (SMI) patients in general psychiatry and the treatments that they received. A representative sample of 220 inpatients with SMI in an urban area in the UK was examined. The prevalence of at least one conviction for a violent crime (46.7% of the men,16.5% of the women) was higher among the patients than among an age and gender matched cohort of the UK population. The elevations in risk for violent offending by patients with SMI compared to the general population were similar to those observed previously in other countries. In the six months prior to interview, 49.2% of the men and 38.8% of the women engaged in physical aggression towards others, and one-in-five engaged in serious violence. Two years later, 79% of the patients were re-assessed. All patients had been receiving antipsychotic medications and meeting with their care co-ordinators (nurses, social workers), on average, once a week, but only 6 patients received treatments relating to substance misuse and 2 patients participated in an anger management programme. More than 80% of the patients experienced at least two negative outcomes defined as high symptom levels, aggressive behaviour, substance misuse, and physical victimisation. General psychiatric services did not address patients’ problems with violence.