The effect of low-cost maintenance medication on the rehospitalization of schizophrenic outpatients

Abstract

In an effort to determine whether expense is a relevant factor when schizophrenic outpatients discontinue maintenance medication, the authors gave low-cost drugs to 44 subjects, while 46 control subjects paid the retail rate. The unexpected result was that the group receiving low-cost drugs had a significantly higher rate of rehospitalization. The authors suggest that monetary investment on the patient's part may be an important factor in successful drug maintenance.