Self-stigma, Treatment Adherence and Discontinuation of the Medication in Psychotic Patients-cross Sectional Study

Abstract

Adherence to the treatment of mental disorders is one of the main factors affecting the success and secondarily the quality of life and social adaptation of the patients. Cross-sectional study in 90 outpatients with a diagnosis of psychotic disorders was designed to determine whether there is a link between self-stigma, adherence to the treatment and the discontinuation of medication in the past. The methods of evaluation were objective and subjective CGI (Clinical Global Impression), the adherence questionnaire DAI-10 (Drug Attitude Inventory), the self-stigma scale ISMI (Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness), and the demographic data questionnaire. All the data were obtained from 74 patients, 5 patients completed questionnaires inadequately or did not cooperate sufficiently. Analysis of the data showed that the overall level of self-stigma assessed by ISMI did not correlate significantly with majority of demographic factors (age, age of onset of the disease, gender, education, marital status, employment, duration of illness, number of hospitalisations and the dose of an antipsychotics). However, there was a statistically significant negative correlation between self-stigma and current treatment adherence.