Unmet needs of the patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a disabling mental disorder with the chronic and difficult course. The disorder is accompanied by numerous limitations in personal and interpersonal functioning. OCD decreases the quality of life and the chance to maintain relationships and professional status. The patients with OCD often experience a severe disabling course of the disorder. Even the individuals, who follow treatment advice, are often still highly symptomatic. In the last decade, the concept of the needs has been assessed as an extent of the traditional outcome evaluation in order to focus on the identification of the specific needs of the patients and their relatives, improve the patients´ overall mental condition and quality of life, and also to increase the treatment effectiveness of the mental disorders. The objective of the article was to review the current literature about unmet needs of the OCD patients and their caregivers.

A computerized search of the literature published between January 2000 and June 2016 was conducted in MEDLINE, and additional papers were extracted using keywords "obsessive compulsive disorder","needs", "pharmacotherapy", "CBT", and "family" in various combinations. Primary selection selected the total of 449 articles. According to the established criteria, 168 articles were chosen. After a detailed examination of the full texts, 53 articles remained. Secondary articles from the reference lists of primarily selected papers were read and evaluated for the eligibility and added to the final list of the articles (n = 107).

The needs of the OCD patients might differ at various stages and severity of the disorder. Four sets of the needs were identified: the needs connected with the symptoms, the treatment, the quality of life, and the family. The patients suffering from OCD often experience many limitations in the fulfillment of their fundamental human needs such as disturbed patients´ functioning in the common life, family, at work, in the ability to realize their goals, skills, potential, capacity to follow prescribed treatment, take medication, cooperate in addressing the root causes of their problems, reduce obsessive thoughts and compulsive behavior, as well as their willingness to realize exposures with the desire to resolve the situation.

Monitoring the patients´ needs may be relevant for the treatment of the individuals suffering from OCD. A bigger focus on the patients´ needs could be beneficial and should be targeted in the treatment.