Collaboration with drug treatment by schizophrenic patients with and without psychoeducational training: results of a 1-year follow-up.
Within a controlled prospective intervention study, schizophrenic outpatients randomly assigned to four treatment groups and one control group were assessed with regard to collaboration with drug treatment. In total, 39.3% of 84 regular attenders of the psychoeducational training programme and 26.6% of 64 control patients reported having persuaded their psychiatrists to modify their medication prescriptions. A total of 8.3% and 7.8%, respectively, modified their medication on their own initiative, although with subsequent approval by the psychiatrist, and 20.2% and 15.6%, respectively, modified their medication after consulting their psychiatrist. With regard to medication management, the groups did not differ either at post-treatment or at follow-up. At follow-up, regular attenders showed a reduced fear of side-effects, increased confidence in their medication and stable confidence in their physician. Among the control subjects, confidence in the medication and in their physician declined, and fear of side-effects increased. Psychoeducational training therefore led to an optimization of patients' attitudes toward treatment, but not to changes in medication management.
Hornung
W P
WP
Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Germany.
Klingberg
S
S
Feldmann
R
R
Schonauer
K
K
Schulze Mönking
H
H
D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000523:psychology; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000628:therapy*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012646:Self Administration / Q000523:psychology; D016896:Treatment Outcome