Involuntary Treatment and Quality of Life

Terry Carney; Joel Yager; Sarah Maguire; Stephen William Touyz

doi:10.1016/j.psc.2019.01.011

Involuntary Treatment and Quality of Life

Psychiatr Clin North Am. 2019 Jun;42(2):299-307. doi: 10.1016/j.psc.2019.01.011.

Authors

Terry Carney¹, Joel Yager², Sarah Maguire³, Stephen William Touyz⁴

Affiliations

¹ School of Law, The University of Sydney, New Law School Building, Eastern Avenue, New South Wales 2006, Australia. Electronic address: Terry.carney@sydney.edu.au.
² Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine, 13001 East 17th Place (Fitzsimons Building), MC A011-04, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.
³ InsideOut Institute, Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, D17, New South Wales 2006, Australia.
⁴ School of Psychology and Inside Out Institute, University of Sydney, Brain Mind Centre, Room 321, 94 Mallett Street, Camperdown, New South Wales 2050, Australia.

PMID: 31046931
DOI: 10.1016/j.psc.2019.01.011

Abstract

The issues centering on the involuntary treatment of severe and enduring anorexia nervosa are daunting. There is a general consensus that people with this illness are likely to have high levels of disability, be underemployed/unemployed, and receive welfare. Anorexia nervosa shows a similar degree of impairment to those with depression or schizophrenia on quality-of-life measures. It is possible to mount a cogent argument as to why a rehabilitation model of care needs to be considered for those with persistent eating disorders. In such cases, harm minimization and improved quality of life should be prioritized and involuntary treatment used judiciously.

Keywords: Anorexia nervosa; Human rights; Involuntary treatment; Quality of life.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Anorexia Nervosa / therapy*
Evidence-Based Practice
Human Rights
Humans
Involuntary Treatment / legislation & jurisprudence*
Quality of Life*