Related Experiment Videos
Compliance therapy: a randomised controlled trial in schizophrenia
Colin O'Donnell1, Gary Donohoe, Louise Sharkey
1Stanley Research Unit, Department of Adult Psychiatry, Cluain Mhuire Service, Newtownpark Avenue, Dublin, Republic of Ireland.
Objective:
To evaluate the efficacy of "compliance therapy" for improving adherence to prescribed drug treatment among patients with schizophrenia.
Design:
Randomised controlled trial.
Setting:
Urban catchment area psychiatric service.
Participants:
94 consecutive admissions of patients with schizophrenia, 56 agreed to participate.
Intervention:
Compliance therapy and non-specific counselling, each consisting of 5 sessions lasting 30-60 minutes.
Main Outcome Measures:
Compliance with drug treatment at one year; attitudes to treatment, symptomatology, insight, and quality of life at one year; length of "survival" in the community, bed days, and rehospitalisation rates at two years.
Results:
Compliance therapy did not confer a major advantage over non-specific therapy in improving compliance at one year (43% (12/28) v 54% (15/28), difference -11% (95% confidence interval -37% to 15%) or in any of the secondary outcome measures-symptomatology, attitudes to treatment, insight, global assessment of functioning, and quality of life.
Conclusion:
Compliance therapy may not be of benefit to patients with schizophrenia. Attitudes to treatment at baseline predicted adherence one year later and may be a clinically useful tool.