title: Prevalence of Antipsychotic Polypharmacy and Associated Factors among Outpatients with Schizophrenia Attending Amanuel Mental Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
abstract: Background. Despite recommendations by guidelines to avoid combinations of antipsychotics unless after multiple trials of antipsychotic monotherapy, it is quite a common practice to use combinations. This practice leads to unnecessary expenses and exposes the patient to severe drug adverse effects. Methods. An institution based cross-sectional study was conducted from April to May 2014. Systematic random sampling technique was used to select 423 study subjects. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify associated factors of antipsychotic polypharmacy among schizophrenia outpatients. Result. The overall prevalence of antipsychotic polypharmacy was found to be 28.2%. Extra pyramidal side effects (AOR = 2.80; 95% CI: 1.38, 5.71), repeated psychiatric hospitalization (AOR = 2.83; 95% CI: 1.45, 5.50), history of substance use (AOR = 2.82; 95% CI: 1.36, 5.88), longer duration of treatment (AOR = 2.10; 95% CI: 1.14, 3.87), and drug nonadherence (AOR = 1.84; 95% CI: 1.14, 2.98) were found to be significantly associated with antipsychotic polypharmacy. Conclusion. Prevalence of antipsychotic polypharmacy was found to be high among the current study participants. Individuals who had extra pyramidal side effects, admission, substance use, duration of treatment, and drug nonadherence were associated with antipsychotic polypharmacy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Felege Hiwot Referral Hospital, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Siranesh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tesfaye
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Amanuel Mental Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Nigussie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Debencho
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Science, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kisi
authors.affiliation: Bahir Dar University, College of Medicine and Health Science, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Minale
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tareke