Attitudes toward Medication and Reasons for Non-Compliance in Patients with Schizophrenia

BACKGROUND: Non-compliance for the medication is an important area of concern in schizophrenia as it contributes to relapse and re-hospitalization of the patients. One of the ways to improve the drug compliance is to know crucial factors responsible for poor drug compliance and hence that proper strategies may be planned to improve patient's drug compliance. AIM: The aim of the following study is to find out the attitudes of patients toward medication and reasons for drug non-compliance in schizophrenia and its association with clinical and socio-demographic variables. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was conducted on follow-up patients with schizophrenia for the duration of 5 months. Their socio-demographic details were noted and illness related variables were evaluated using Positive and Negative Syndrome scale (PANSS). Patient's attitudes toward medication and the reasons for treatment non-compliance were assessed using the standardized tools, which consist of Drug Attitude Inventory-10 scale and Rating of Medication Influences scale respectively. RESULTS: Nearly 41.9% of our study sample were non-compliant to medication. A significant association has been found between non-compliance and younger age group, unemployment, early age of onset, high positive PANSS score and poorer insight into the illness. The significant reasons for non-compliance in our study were Denial of illness, financial burden, less access to treatment facilities, Side-effects of the medication, Feeling that the medication was unnecessary and Substance abuse. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that there is a need to provide adequate information about mental illness and medications prescribed, to enhance medication compliance and to develop community mental health care facilities.