title: Discontinuing financial incentives for adherence to antipsychotic depot medication: long-term outcomes of a cluster randomised controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In a cluster randomised controlled trial, offering financial incentives improved adherence to antipsychotic depot medication over a 1-year period. Yet, it is unknown whether this positive effect is sustained once the incentives stop.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients in the intervention and control group were followed up for 2 years after the intervention. Primary and secondary outcomes were assessed at 6 months and 24 months post intervention. Assessments were conducted between September 2011 and November 2014.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After the intervention period, intervention and control groups did not show any statistically significant differences in adherence, neither in the first 6 months (71% and 77%, respectively) nor in the following 18 months (68%, 74%). There were no statistically significant differences in secondary outcomes, that is, adherence ≥95% and untoward incidents either.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It may be concluded that incentives to improve adherence to antipsychotic maintenance medication are effective only for as long as they are provided. Once they are stopped, adherence returns to approximately baseline level with no sustained benefit.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  ISRCTN77769281; Results.
authors.affiliation: Unit for Social and Community Psychiatry (WHO Collaborating Centre for Mental Health Service Development), Queen Mary University London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Priebe
authors.affiliation: Division of Primary Care and Public Health, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Brighton, UK.
authors.forename: Stephen A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Bremner
authors.affiliation: Unit for Social and Community Psychiatry (WHO Collaborating Centre for Mental Health Service Development), Queen Mary University London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Hana
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pavlickova
keywords: Long-acting antipsychotic injectables (LAIs); financial incentives; long-term effect; psychosis