BACKGROUND: Most people diagnosed with a psychotic disorder will be prescribed psychotropic medication. The second Australian national survey of psychosis provided a unique opportunity to examine the pharmacological treatment of psychotic disorders from the perspective of the consumer. The aim of this paper is to report on medication use, adherence and perceived efficacy, and to describe side effect profiles. METHOD: Data on self-reported medication use in the 4 weeks prior to interview, including type, duration, adherence, side effects and helpfulness was collected from participants interviewed in the course of the second Australian national survey of psychosis. RESULTS: The majority (91.6%) of participants were using psychotropic medication: 89.0% of people aged 18-34 years and 93.5% of people aged 35-64 years. The most commonly used class of medication was antipsychotic medication (81.6%). In addition, 37.4% were using antidepressants, 26.7% were using mood stabilisers and 17.8% were using anxiolytics/hypnotics. Polypharmacy was common with almost two-thirds (63.4%) using more than one class of medication and over a quarter (28.1%) of people with schizophrenia using more than one antipsychotic. Many participants (84.4%) reported experiencing side effects. The side effect profile of people using atypical antipsychotics was on average better than that of people using typical antipsychotics. Most people (85.2%) felt their medication relieved their mental health symptoms and most (88.2%) medication was taken as prescribed. CONCLUSIONS: Many people with a psychotic disorder are receiving antipsychotics, with a substantial proportion also taking antidepressants, mood stabilisers and anxiolytics/hypnotics. Medication use differs by age group, diagnostic group and course of illness. Many people using antipsychotics describe significant impairment in their everyday life as a result of medication side effects. Users of typical antipsychotics reported more side effects and more impairment than people using atypical antipsychotics. Most of our participants were prescribed psychotropic medications, and most reported that they were taking them.
BACKGROUND: Most people diagnosed with a psychotic disorder will be prescribed psychotropic medication. The second Australian national survey of psychosis provided a unique opportunity to examine the pharmacological treatment of psychotic disorders from the perspective of the consumer. The aim of this paper is to report on medication use, adherence and perceived efficacy, and to describe side effect profiles. METHOD: Data on self-reported medication use in the 4 weeks prior to interview, including type, duration, adherence, side effects and helpfulness was collected from participants interviewed in the course of the second Australian national survey of psychosis. RESULTS: The majority (91.6%) of participants were using psychotropic medication: 89.0% of people aged 18-34 years and 93.5% of people aged 35-64 years. The most commonly used class of medication was antipsychotic medication (81.6%). In addition, 37.4% were using antidepressants, 26.7% were using mood stabilisers and 17.8% were using anxiolytics/hypnotics. Polypharmacy was common with almost two-thirds (63.4%) using more than one class of medication and over a quarter (28.1%) of people with schizophrenia using more than one antipsychotic. Many participants (84.4%) reported experiencing side effects. The side effect profile of people using atypical antipsychotics was on average better than that of people using typical antipsychotics. Most people (85.2%) felt their medication relieved their mental health symptoms and most (88.2%) medication was taken as prescribed. CONCLUSIONS: Many people with a psychotic disorder are receiving antipsychotics, with a substantial proportion also taking antidepressants, mood stabilisers and anxiolytics/hypnotics. Medication use differs by age group, diagnostic group and course of illness. Many people using antipsychotics describe significant impairment in their everyday life as a result of medication side effects. Users of typical antipsychotics reported more side effects and more impairment than people using atypical antipsychotics. Most of our participants were prescribed psychotropic medications, and most reported that they were taking them.
Authors: Hua Jin; Pei-an Betty Shih; Shahrokh Golshan; Sunder Mudaliar; Robert Henry; Danielle K Glorioso; Stephan Arndt; Helena C Kraemer; Dilip V Jeste Journal: J Clin Psychiatry Date: 2012-11-27 Impact factor: 4.384
Authors: D J Siskind; M Harris; A Phillipou; V A Morgan; A Waterreus; C Galletly; V J Carr; C Harvey; D Castle Journal: Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci Date: 2016-07-18 Impact factor: 6.892
Authors: Edith J Liemburg; Stynke Castelein; Frank van Es; Anne Neeltje Scholte-Stalenhoef; Gerard van de Willige; Henderikus Smid; Ellen Visser; Henderikus Knegtering; Richard Bruggeman Journal: PLoS One Date: 2014-11-20 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Dennis Liu; Hannah Myles; Debra L Foley; Gerald F Watts; Vera A Morgan; David Castle; Anna Waterreus; Andrew Mackinnon; Cherrie Ann Galletly Journal: Front Psychiatry Date: 2016-08-31 Impact factor: 4.157
Authors: Alexander M Ponizovsky; Eli Marom; Michal Ben-Laish; Igor Barash; Abraham Weizman; Eyal Schwartzberg Journal: Isr J Health Policy Res Date: 2016-06-15
Authors: Felice Iasevoli; Elisabetta F Buonaguro; Massimo Marconi; Emanuela Di Giovambattista; Maria Paola Rapagnani; Domenico De Berardis; Giovanni Martinotti; Monica Mazza; Raffaele Balletta; Nicola Serroni; Massimo Di Giannantonio; Andrea de Bartolomeis; Alessandro Valchera Journal: ISRN Pharmacol Date: 2014-01-27