Full Text Full Text (PDF) Supplemental figures Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Email this article to a Colleague Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to My Articles & Searches Download to citation manager Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Articles by Piette, J. D. Articles by Valenstein, M. Search for Related Content PubMed Citation Articles by Piette, J. D. Articles by Valenstein, M. Treatment Compliance Veterans Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders Related Article

Differential Medication Adherence Among Patients With Schizophrenia and Comorbid Diabetes and Hypertension

OBJECTIVES: Global patient characteristics may affect adherence across all medications in a regimen, making medication-specific risk factors for adherence problems less important. Medication adherence was examined among patients with schizophrenia and comorbid physical conditions for consistency across therapeutic classes. METHODS: A national sample of veterans was selected according to use of medication for schizophrenia, diabetes, and hypertension (N=1,686). Adherence to each medication type was assessed with medication possession ratios (MPRs). Multilevel logistic models were used to study the impact of medication type on adherence, as well as the effect of other medication characteristics (such as the average days of medication supplied per refill), health service use, and patients' sociodemographic characteristics. RESULTS: Adherence was only modestly correlated across types of medication. Information about antipsychotic adherence explained only 13% and 16% of the variance in patients' antihypertensive and hypoglycemic MPRs, respectively. In unadjusted analyses, patients were more likely to have poorer adherence (MPR less than .8) to their antipsychotics (35%) than to their hypoglycemic (29%) or antihypertensive medications (26%) (p<.001). However, when analyses controlled for the average days' supply and other regimen characteristics, hypoglycemic and antihypertensive medications were associated with an increased risk of poor adherence relative to antipsychotics (both adjusted odds ratios=1.5, p<.001). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with schizophrenia and comorbid physical conditions demonstrated important differences in adherence across medications in their regimen, reinforcing the importance of medication-specific factors in determining adherence behavior. The lower levels of adherence observed for antipsychotics may be associated with the shorter refill intervals for these medications.

Related Article:

February 2007: This Month's Highlights
Psychiatr Serv 2007 58: 165. [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. Kreyenbuhl, L. B. Dixon, J. F. McCarthy, S. Soliman, R. V. Ignacio, and M. Valenstein Does Adherence to Medications for Type 2 Diabetes Differ Between Individuals With Vs Without Schizophrenia? Schizophr Bull, August 20, 2008; (2008) sbn106v1. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. H. Beebe, K. Smith, C. Crye, C. Addonizio, D. J. Strunk, W. Martin, and J. Poche Telenursing Intervention Increases Psychiatric Medication Adherence in Schizophrenia Outpatients Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, June 1, 2008; 14(3): 217 - 224. [Abstract] [PDF]

Get information about faster international access.

Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2007 American Psychiatric Association. All rights reserved.

Home | Search | Current Issue | Past Issues | Subscribe | All APPI Journals | Help | Contact Us