A survey of the attitudes of chronic psychiatric patients living in the community toward their medication.
Because non-compliance with antipsychotic drug therapy is both common and associated with a substantially increased risk of acute relapse, depot medication must be preferred for most schizophrenic out-patients. Yet there is a perception that depot medication is unpopular among patients. In the survey of out-patients reported here, the great majority of patients receiving either oral or depot neuroleptics (with or without oral augmentation) would, given a free choice, elect to continue with their present dose form (94% and 87%, respectively). In virtually all cases, the choice of route was made by the treating physician and readily accepted by the patient. These findings suggest that physicians should more often recommend and prescribe depot medication when antipsychotic maintenance therapy is indicated.
Pereira
S
S
Academic Department of Psychiatry, United Medical School, Guy's Hospital, London, UK.
Pinto
R
R
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000379:methods*; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations / Q000009:adverse effects; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients / Q000523:psychology*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012646:Self Administration / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000523:psychology
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations