Barriers Of Medication Compliance

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Numerous peer-reviewed studies have illustrated that noncompliance with prescribed medication regimens results in increased morbidity in a variety of illnesses, including severe mental illness such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression (DiMatteo, 2002) (Cramer, 1995). To better understand and label the term compliance, the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes developed a definition after three years of review and discussion (Cramer R. B., 2008). Medication compliance (synonymous to adherence) describes to the “act of conforming to the recommendations made by the provider with respect to timing, dosage, and frequency of medication taking” (Cramer R. B., 2008). By utilizing this conclusive definition of …show more content…
Clinical features of the disorder (chronicity, depression, suspiciousness in schizophrenia, substance abuse and comorbid anxiety)
5. Clinician expertise (empathy, successful integration of pharmacology and psychotherapy).
By examining some of these characteristics outlined by Fawcett, we can obtain a better understanding of the implications and trials a patient with mental illness must overcome to comply with a prescribed medication regimen. From there, we can also outline possible methods to overcome these barriers.
Attitude
A patient’s attitude toward certain mental illness and the medication used to treat it may be influence by their past experiences, those of family or friends, and perspectives of the media (American Pharmacists Association, 2013). Images produced by the asylum era of psychology have left stigmas on mental illness, as evidenced by the fact that statistics reveal one fourth of Americans experiencing mental illness yearly will not seek mental health services (Center for Mental Health Services, 2000). To overcome the barrier produced by stigma, it is imperative that not only the practicing psychiatrist, psychologist, or counselor, but indeed all medical professionals, educate mental health patients on the benefits (as well as possible risks) of treatment and support this information with
…show more content…
In addition to side effects, drugs that have extreme regimens can pose a problem to regimen compliance for the treatment of mental illness, as evidenced in figure 1. Overall, patients can deem these side effects or extreme medication regimens as worse than the actual mental illness they are experiencing, yielding noncompliance. The care provider can take the following steps to ensure patient compliance and decrease regimen complexity (Balon, Practical Management of Side Effects of Psychotropic Drugs,

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