What do patients with substance use disorders know about their medication? A cross-sectional interview-based study.

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Pharmacology
• Public Health

Background:

• Patients with substance use disorders (SUDs) often face challenges in managing their medication regimens.
• Understanding medication knowledge is critical for patient safety and treatment adherence in psychiatric care.
• Gaps in medication knowledge can lead to suboptimal therapeutic outcomes and increased healthcare utilization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the medication knowledge of patients with SUDs treated at a psychiatric clinic.
• To identify specific areas of medication knowledge deficits, particularly concerning Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) group A drugs.
• To inform strategies for enhancing patient safety and therapeutic outcomes in this population.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional, interview-based study was conducted with 100 patients diagnosed with SUDs.
• Participants were recruited from a psychiatric clinic in northern Germany and had no cognitive impairments.
• A customized questionnaire assessed knowledge of drug name, indication, dosage, frequency, information sources, and regimen adequacy.

Main Results:

• The median medication knowledge score was 3.8 out of 6, indicating suboptimal understanding.
• Medication knowledge was significantly lower for ATC group A drugs compared to other drug groups (p < 0.001).
• Hospital physicians were the primary source of medication information for 40% of patients, and 84% found their regimen adequate.

Conclusions:

• Patients with SUDs exhibit significant deficits in medication knowledge, particularly for ATC group A drugs.
• Future interventions should focus on targeted patient education and improved physician-patient communication.
• Enhancing medication knowledge is essential for improving adherence and achieving better treatment outcomes in patients with SUDs.