PERCEIVED PSYCHOSOCIAL FACTORS MILITATING AGAINST ANTIPSYCHOTIC MEDICATION ADHERENCE AMONG SCHIZOPHRENIC PATIENTS

Abstract

Introduction: Antipsychotic medication is drug of choice for the management of schizophrenia. Non-adherence with antipsychotics has been the problem of patients with schizophrenia, which has resulted in high rates of relapse and re-hospitalization. This study addressed the perceived factors affecting non-adherence, as a first step in identifying the strategies to curb its menacing effects.

Method: This descriptive survey was carried out in Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu. A total of 146 informal caregivers of schizophrenic patients were sampled, a self-developed psychometrically tested questionnaire was used to obtain the demographic details of the participants. Data obtained were analyzed using descriptive and inferential Statistics of independent -t-test and ANOVA at α= 0.05.

Results: The mean age of respondents was 40.16 ± 15.75years; most of whom were females (61.2%), with at least primary or secondary education (55.1%). A substantial proportion of participants agreed that lack of awareness of illness (65.2%) and distress over side-effect of antipsychotic drug (64.2%), were psychosocial factors identified, (mean 5.52±2.00) militating against antipsychotic medication adherence. The three commonest ways of promoting medication adherence were rousing their awareness of benefits of medication (83.1%), supporting patients to visit clinic on appointment date, to purchase prescribed drugs (78.4%), giving patients psycho-education on the need to adhere to their drugs to prevent relapse (78.4%). Also, the three most commonly reported consequences of non-adherence were, long stay in hospital, (83.9%), increase cost of hospitalization (82.9%) and re-hospitalization (80.3%). There was no significant association between medication adherence and related factors based on categories of gender, marital status, religion, educational status, employment status, income and job description (P > 0.05).

Conclusion: There is a moderate level of perceived psychosocial factors militating against antipsychotic medication adherence, whereas perceived possible ways of promoting antipsychotic medication adherence and perceived consequences of non-adherence to antipsychotic medication are high among patients with schizophrenia. Also, demographic factors of gender, religion, education, marital status, employment status, income, and job description are not determinants of antipsychotic medication adherence among these cohorts.