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Pharmacopsychiatry 2003; 36(3): 105-112
DOI: 10.1055/s-2003-39985
Original Paper
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Schizophrenic Patients’ Subjective Reasons for Compliance and Noncompliance with Neuroleptic Treatment

W. Löffler1 , R. Kilian1 , M. Toumi2 , M. C. Angermeyer1
  • 1Universtity of Leipzig, Department of Psychiatry, Leipzig, Germany
  • 2H. Lundbeck A/S, Department of Pharma Economics, Valby-Copenhagen, Denmark
The base study was funded by grants from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research in the framework of the research association public health Saxony (grant no. 01EG9732/7). The second part of the study was funded by H. Lundbeck A/S.
Further Information

Publication History

Received: 15.11.2001 Revised: 23.7.2002

Accepted: 27.8.2002

Publication Date:
13 June 2003 (online)

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Although several factors influencing schizophrenic patients’ compliance with neuroleptic treatment have been investigated, the subjective reasons that patients are willing or reluctant to take medication have rarely been examined. In a follow-up study of a sample of schizophrenic patients currently undergoing psychiatric treatment in the city of Leipzig, 307 patients were asked about their subjective reasons for medication compliance or noncompliance by administering the Rating of Medication Influences (ROMI) Scale. The perceived benefit from medication proved to be the main reason for patients’ compliance with neuroleptic treatment. Respectively, patient-reported noncompliance was mainly explained by negative side effects of medication. However, there were no statistically significant differences in responses between the patients receiving conventional versus second-generation antipsychotics. A positive relationship with the therapist and a positive attitude of significant others toward neuroleptic treatment contributed to patients’ medication compliance. Reasons for noncompliance with neuroleptic treatment were lack of acceptance of the necessity of pharmacological treatment and lack of insight into the disease. The results emphasize the importance of psychoeducation in enhancing patient compliance with neuroleptic treatment.

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Dr. Reinhold Kilian

Department of Psychiatry

University of Leipzig

Johannisallee 20

D-04317 Leipzig

Phone: 0341/ 97 24 532

Fax: 0341/ 97 24 539

Email: kilr@medizin.uni-leipzig.de