Compliance – Factors Affecting Compliance to Medication in Psychiatry

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Compliance to medication is an important clinical issue in psychiatry as non-compliance to medication is one of the commonest causes of treatment failure. Non-compliance with psychiatric medication is common with serious mental illness, with estimated rates of non-compliance between 50 – 75 per cent. Non-adherence with psychiatric medication is associated with an increase in poorer outcomes.

CAUSES OF NON-COMPLIANCE TO MEDICATION IN PSYCHIATRY

compliance-to-medication-in-psychiatry

Patient factors

  • Attitudes towards medication
  • Family attitude towards medication
  • Stigma
  • Cultural factors – alternative healing
  • Social Isolation
  • Personality Style – rebel against authority

Illness factors

  • Delusions
  • Hallucinations
  • Cognitive impairment
  • Depression
  • Lack of insight

Medication factors

  • Lack of efficacy
  • Side effects
  • Complexity of regime
  • Cost of medication

System Factors

  • Cost of medication
  • Transport factors – distance to travel to access mental health services
  • Lack of therapeutic alliance
  • Inadequate supervision

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