Psychiatric patients' attitudes about medication and factors affecting noncompliance

OBJECTIVE: Attitudes about medication and factors affecting medication compliance were investigated in a sample of 148 psychiatric patients. METHODS: Structured interviews assessed attitudes about medication, history of compliance, and other relevant clinical and psychosocial variables. RESULTS: Eighty-seven subjects expressed positive attitudes about medication in general. Forty believed that their illness was biologically or chemically based. A large proportion attributed their illness to situational factors, including stress (36 subjects) and family problems (18 subjects). Fifty-one subjects said that they required medications to get better. Approximately half of the subjects previously either changed their medication regimen or discontinued their medication. Opposition to the idea of taking medication, belief that the medication did not work, and physical side effects were the most frequent reasons for stopping. Previous patient-initiated changes in the medication regimen, education level, and inpatient or outpatient status were the only variables associated with noncompliance. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that several relevant clinical, demographic, and attitudinal variables may not be associated with medication compliance.