CLINICAL SEQUELAE OF OVERT NONCOMPLIANCE WITH PSYCHOTROPIC AGENTS

A group of 487 patients admitted to Eastern State Hospital in Lexingto n, Kentucky, during a 3-month period were prospectively followed to de termine the incidence of psychotropic medication refusal, unique chara cteristics of refusers, factors leading to refusal, and clinical outco me of those who refused. Patients who refused any dose(s) of psychotro pic medications were identified within 24 hours of refusal. For patien ts who refused for 24 hours or mote, the psychiatrist was asked to com plete a 4-item questionnaire. Our data indicate that medication refusa l leads to poorer clinical outcomes, as measured by length of hospital ization and incidence and duration of restraint episodes.