Improving Medication Adherence With Telemedicine for Adults With Severe Mental Illness

Abstract

Objective: The study evaluated a telephone call and text message intervention to improve adherence to medication among patients with severe mental illness.

Methods: A randomized clinical trial was conducted, and outpatients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder were assigned to the intervention group or to a usual care control group. The intervention was provided by trained nurses. Medication adherence was measured with the Medication Adherence Report Scale.

Results: The study sample comprised 120 participants. Logistic regression analysis showed that intervention group participants were significantly more likely than control group participants to be medication adherent at 6 months (odds ratio=4.11, p=.007). The superiority of the intervention emerged during months 4 to 6. Social desirability, diagnosis, and medication did not affect the results.

Conclusions: Telemedicine via telephone can deliver low-threshold support to patients who are otherwise at high risk of progressive nonadherence to their psychotropic medication after 6 months.

Keywords: Mental health systems/hospitals; Psychiatry/general; Telecommunications.