The Effect of a Psycho-Educational Program on Psychiatric Symptoms, Drug Attitude and Treatment Satisfaction of Patients with Schizophrenia

Yueren Zhao,Yuko Yasuhara,Tetsuya Tanioka,Masahito Tomotake,Nakao Iwata,Sakiko Sakamaki,Beth King,Rozzano C Locsin

doi:10.4236/ojpsych.2015.53027

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a Comprehensive Psycho-Educational Approach and Scheme Set (COMPASS) for patients with schizophrenia who were treated with risperidone long-acting injectable (RLAI), on their psychiatric symptoms, drug attitudes, and treatment satisfaction levels. Participants were sixty-five patients at thirteen hospitals in Japan who met ICD-10 F2 criteria for schizophrenia or schizo-affective disorder and were treated with RLAI. A correlational study design was used to measure the effect of the COMPASS on the psychiatric symptoms, drug attitudes, and treatment satisfaction levels of patients treated with RLAI. Using the following evaluation indicators: The Subjective Satisfaction to Treatment Scale (SSTS), Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF), Drug-Induced Extrapyramidal Symptoms Scale (DIEPSS), and Drug Attitude Inventory-10 (DAI-10), measurements were taken at the beginning of the program (baseline), at the end of the program, and six months after (endpoint). Data analysis included descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U test or Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient. Significant differences were observed in BPRS total (p < 0.001), sub-scales of BPRS positive (p < 0.001), BPRS negative (p < 0.01), BPRS affective (p < 0.01), and GAF (p < 0.001). However, there was no significant change in subscale of BPRS manic, DAI-10, DIEPSS, or SSTS but significant positive correlations were found between SSTS and DAI-10 and GAF at baseline; a negative correlation was found between SSTS and BPRS. The findings of the study suggested the benefit of using the COMPASS in conjunction with RLAI to decrease patients’ psychiatric symptomatology and improve treatment satisfaction. In addition, patient satisfaction was found to be an important factor to be considered by the psychiatrist.

Highlights

Non-adherence to medication is a major problem in the treatment of schizophrenia
long-acting injectable (LAI) has proven to be beneficial in assisting with the prevention of relapse, reduction of readmission rates and alleviation of suicide attempts for patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and poor medication adherence [2] [3]
The findings revealed a correlation between treatment satisfaction level, psychiatric scores and medication adherence

Summary

Introduction

One of the most important treatment methods for patients with poor medication adherence to antipsychotics is the use of long-acting injectable (LAI) medications [1]. LAI has proven to be beneficial in assisting with the prevention of relapse, reduction of readmission rates and alleviation of suicide attempts for patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and poor medication adherence [2] [3]. Swelieh et al [8] studied medication adherence and treatment satisfaction of 131 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia. Lee et al [10] revealed that combined therapy with a psychosocial intervention for relapse prevention could be effective in maintaining medication compliance, and that discontinuation of long-acting atypical antipsychotics might be predictive of the relapse

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