A study on drug attitude among patients with schizophrenia and bipolar affective disorders
Background: Medication non compliance is a common and difficult problem in the treatment of chronic disorders in general and psychiatric disorders in particular. This results in relapses, exacerbations, recurrences and frequent hospitalizations. It affects the quality of life of patients and increas...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
2016-01-01
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| Series: | Archives of Mental Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.amhonline.org/article.asp?issn=2589-9171;year=2016;volume=17;issue=1;spage=24;epage=31;aulast=Budarapu;type=0 |
| Summary: | Background: Medication non compliance is a common and difficult problem in the treatment of chronic disorders in general and psychiatric disorders in particular. This results in relapses, exacerbations, recurrences and frequent hospitalizations. It affects the quality of life of patients and increases the caregiver burden of the family members. Among various factors which affect non compliance patients attitude to drugs is one potentially modifiable aspect which is attracting attention in patient care.
Aims: To study the attitude of patients with schizophrenia and bipolar affective disorder towards drugs and modify any negative attitudes about the drugs.
Methodology: Apart from the sociodemographic variables, Drug attitude inventory (DAI) was used to assess the attitude of patients and WHO- Quality of Life (WHO-QOL) was used to assess quality of life of study group patients both at the baseline and during the follow-up.
Results: In the bipolar group, 80% of the participants achieved good compliance status from the baseline of 17.8% and in the schizophrenia group 82.2% achieved good compliance compared to 20% at baseline. Their quality of life also improved in all domains.
Conclusion: Carefully planned medication counseling to patients and family members and appropriate corrections in the medication appears to show great change in compliance. A little effort put in by treating team can change the quality of life of many patients with psychiatric disorders. |
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| ISSN: | 2589-9171 2589-918X |