Informing patients about tardive dyskinesia.
The effects of a formal (written) approach v an informal (oral) approach to obtaining informed consent for neuroleptic treatment were compared in 25 schizophrenic outpatients with tardive dyskinesia. Both groups had significant increases in knowledge, but only the informal/oral presentation group retained significant new knowledge at two-month follow-up. Overall, patients did not learn the information deemed most relevant for rational decision making about neuroleptic treatment. Younger patients started out with more knowledge and retained significant new knowledge at follow-up. All study patients remained in treatment and all but one remained on neuroleptic regimens. There was no increase in relapse or treatment noncompliance in the study population compared with a comparison group. While information about tardive dyskinesia can be safely disclosed to schizophrenic outpatients, such disclosure is evidently most meaningful when repeated informally in the context of a therapeutic relationship.
Munetz
M R
MR
Roth
L H
LH
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003657:Decision Making; D004409:Dyskinesia, Drug-Induced / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006760:Hospitalization; D006783:Hospitals, State; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D010349:Patient Compliance; D012306:Risk; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents