title: Skills-based medication training program for patients with schizophrenic disorders: a rater-blind randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The long-term course of schizophrenia is often characterized by relapses, induced by poor medication adherence. Early nonadherence after discharge is frequent.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate a skills-based inpatient training program for medication intake.
  
  
  METHODS
  We developed a manual-based inpatient medication training program to be carried out by nurses and focusing on practical skills enabling autonomous intake of medication. Medication adherence was measured by three different methods: pill count, determination of serum levels, and self-assessment by the patient. The raters were blinded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four weeks after discharge, 98% of the patients in the intervention group (N=52) were rated as adherent by pill count versus 76% in the control group (N=50; P<0.01). By measurement of serum level, 88.5% versus 70% were adherent (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The inpatient medication training program carried out by nurses seems to be an effective intervention for enhancing medication adherence after hospital discharge.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Psychiatry South-Wuerttemberg, Ravensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Uwe B
authors.initials: UB
authors.lastname: Schirmer
authors.affiliation: Centre for Psychiatry South-Wuerttemberg, Ravensburg, Germany ; Ulm University, Department Psychiatry I, Ravensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Tilman
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Steinert
authors.affiliation: Centre for Psychiatry South-Wuerttemberg, Ravensburg, Germany ; Ulm University, Department Psychiatry I, Ravensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Erich
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Flammer
authors.affiliation: Centre for Psychiatry South-Wuerttemberg, Ravensburg, Germany ; Ulm University, Department Psychiatry I, Ravensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Raoul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Borbé
keywords: adherence; psychopharmacotherapy; schizophrenia
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