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Refusal of prescribed drugs in a psychiatric hospital

Greystanes House, Royal Dundee Liff Hospital, Birkhill by Dundee DD2 5NF

^* Correspondence

Aims and methods A survey of recorded refusal of drug administration to patients in a psychiatric hospital over a six-month period in 1996 was made using drug administration records. For comparison 150 patients were randomly selected from the 1975 drug sheets and instances of drug refusal noted.

Results Eighteen per cent of patients refused drugs on at least one occasion, and of those over 65 years of age 26.2% refused drugs. All the main diagnostic categories and groups of drugs were involved. Of the 150 patients studied from 1975 only four refused drugs.

Clinical implications Doctors should be alert to the possibility of refusal of drug treatment in a wide range of psychiatric conditions. When refusal occurs interventions are likely to be necessary, including a review of drug treatment.