Adherence to Pharmacological Treatment Among Patients with Schizophrenia: Adherence to Pharmacological Treatment Among Patients with Schizophrenia

Makwan Abdul Kareem, Psychiatric Registrar, Sulaimani Mental Health Center, Sulaimani Teaching Hospital, Sulaimani - Kurdistan Region, Iraq.Follow
Hezha Mahmood, General Practitioner, Sulaymaniyah Maternity Emergency Teaching Hospital, Sulaimani - Kurdistan Region, Iraq.Follow

Article Type

Original Study

Abstract

ABSTRACT_x000D_ _x000D_ Adherence to medication is the range to which an individual corresponds with the prescribed medication dosing regimen. Medication non-adherence among patients with schizophrenia is extremely common issue, broadly ranging from 4% to 72%. Medication non-adherence among schizophrenic patients has serious consequences for individuals as well as the health system such as relapse of symptoms, re-hospitalization, aggression, suicide, cognitive deterioration, loss of job and arrest, victimization, and overall unfavorable outcome. Factors determining adherence are divided into medication-related as side effects, patient-related as lack of insight, illness-related as persecutory delusions, sociocultural-related such as stigma, and clinician-related factors like poor therapeutic alliance. Improving adherence is best achieved by exploring the reasons for non-adherence with appropriate management plans to deal with them. Adherence can be improved by providing basic strategies that must routinely accompany every prescription, and specific interventions like psycho-social ones, antipsychotic long acting injections, reminders, service interventions, and may be even financial incentives._x000D_ _x000D_ _x000D_

Keywords

Adherence, medication, schizophrenia, basrah

Recommended Citation

Abdul Kareem, Makwan and Mahmood, Hezha (2022) "Adherence to Pharmacological Treatment Among Patients with Schizophrenia: Adherence to Pharmacological Treatment Among Patients with Schizophrenia," Iraqi National Journal of Medicine: Vol. 4 : Iss. 1 , Article 4.
Available at: https://doi.org/10.37319/IQNJM.4.1.4