Medication Adherence and Mental Health Services in Schizophrenia
Author Information
Author(s): Haya Ascher-Svanum, Baojin Zhu, Douglas E. Faries, Nicolas M. Furiak, William Montgomery
Primary Institution: Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company
Hypothesis
Does medication adherence impact the use of mental health services in patients with schizophrenia?
Conclusion
Adherence to medication is linked to lower hospitalization rates and greater engagement in outpatient mental health treatment.
Supporting Evidence
- Adherent patients had a lower rate of psychiatric hospitalization compared to non-adherent patients.
- 92% of adherent patients remained adherent after hospitalization.
- 75% of previously partially adherent patients became adherent after hospitalization.
Takeaway
Taking your medicine helps you stay out of the hospital and see your doctor more often.
Methodology
Data from a large prospective, non-interventional study of patients treated for schizophrenia in the US was analyzed.
Potential Biases
Potential selection bias due to the naturalistic study design.
Limitations
The observational nature of the study may introduce selection biases and findings may not be generalizable to privately insured patients.
Participant Demographics
Most participants were outpatients, male, in their early 40s, with a third being African American.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p < 0.001
Statistical Significance
p < 0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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