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. 2015 Oct-Dec;61(4):251-6.
doi: 10.4103/0022-3859.166514.

Incidence and factors associated with medication nonadherence in patients with mental illness: a cross-sectional study

J M Lucca, M Ramesh  1 , G Parthasarathi, D Ram
Affiliations

Incidence and factors associated with medication nonadherence in patients with mental illness: a cross-sectional study

J M Lucca et al. J Postgrad Med. 2015 Oct-Dec.

Abstract

Background: In spite of the progress made in the treatment of psychiatric disorders during the last few decades, nonadherence continues to be a frequent phenomenon, often associated with potentially severe clinical consequences and increased health-care costs. There are numerous factors associated with medication nonadherence in patients with mental illness. The aim of the study was to determine the incidence and factors associated with medication nonadherence among psychiatric outpatients.

Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in the outpatient psychiatric department of an Indian tertiary care private hospital over a period of 1 year. Patients aged 18 years and above who presented with mental illness as diagnosed by the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 and who were receiving at least one psychotropic medication for at least 1 month were included in the study. Medication adherence was assessed using the Medication Adherence Rating Scale (MARS).

Results: Of the 400 patients, 172 (43%) were nonadherent to their prescribed medications. There is a statistically significant association between the education (P = 0.001), number of drugs (P = 0.002), family income (P = 0.013), and nonadherence. Among the 172 patients, 33.5 % were nonadherent to their therapy due to patient-related factors followed by drug-related factors (32%) and disease-related factors (31%).

Conclusion: The overall incidence of medication nonadherence in patients with mental illness was 43%. Numerous factors contributed to medication nonadherence. Strategies need to be developed and implemented to enhance medication adherence, and thereby achieve a better therapeutic outcome in patients with mental illness.

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Comment in

  • Calculating incidence in cross-sectional studies.
    Raina SK. Raina SK. J Postgrad Med. 2016 Jan-Mar;62(1):51-2. doi: 10.4103/0022-3859.173217. J Postgrad Med. 2016. PMID: 26732200 Free PMC article. No abstract available.
  • Authors' reply.
    Lucca JM, Ramesh M, Parthasarathi G, Ram D. Lucca JM, et al. J Postgrad Med. 2016 Jan-Mar;62(1):52. J Postgrad Med. 2016. PMID: 27123501 Free PMC article. No abstract available.

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