Maria Nystazaki1, Katerina Pikouli2, Eva-Maria Tsapakis3, Maria Karanikola4, Dimitrios Ploumpidis5, Giorgos Alevizopoulos6. 1. Department of Psychiatry, University of Athens "Agioi Anargyroi" Hospital, Athens, Greece. Electronic address: psychiatry@nurs.uoa.gr. 2. Byron-Kaisariani Community Mental Health Centre, "Eginition" University Psychiatric Hospital, Athens, Greece. 3. Aghios Charalambos Mental Health Clinic, Crete, Greece. 4. Department of Nursing, Technological University of Cyprus, Limassol, Cyprus. 5. Athens University Medical School, Community Mental Health Centre Byron-Kaisariani, "Eginition" University Psychiatric Hospital, Athens, Greece. 6. National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, "Agioi Anargyroi" Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Zografou Community Mental Health Centre, Athens, Greece.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Providing informed, consent requires patients' Decision-Making Capacity for treatment. We evaluated the Decision Making Capacity of outpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder on treatment with Long Acting Injectable Antipsychotic medication. METHOD: This is a retrospective, cross-sectional, correlational study conducted at two Depot Clinics in Athens, Greece. Participants included 65 outpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder on treatment with Long Acting Injectable Antipsychotics. RESULTS: Over half of the participants showed poor understanding of the information given regarding their disease and treatment (Understanding subscale), however >70% seemed to comprehend the relevance of this information to their medical condition (Appreciation subscale). Moreover, half of the participants reported adequate reasoning ability (Reasoning subscale), whilst patients who gained >7% of their body weight scored statistically significantly higher in the subscales of Understanding and Appreciation. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that there is a proportion of patients with significantly diminished Decision Making Capacity, hence a full assessment is recommended in order to track them down. Further research is needed to better interpret the association between antipsychotic induced weight gain and Decision Making Capacity in patients suffering from schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.
OBJECTIVE: Providing informed, consent requires patients' Decision-Making Capacity for treatment. We evaluated the Decision Making Capacity of outpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder on treatment with Long Acting Injectable Antipsychotic medication. METHOD: This is a retrospective, cross-sectional, correlational study conducted at two Depot Clinics in Athens, Greece. Participants included 65 outpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder on treatment with Long Acting Injectable Antipsychotics. RESULTS: Over half of the participants showed poor understanding of the information given regarding their disease and treatment (Understanding subscale), however >70% seemed to comprehend the relevance of this information to their medical condition (Appreciation subscale). Moreover, half of the participants reported adequate reasoning ability (Reasoning subscale), whilst patients who gained >7% of their body weight scored statistically significantly higher in the subscales of Understanding and Appreciation. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that there is a proportion of patients with significantly diminished Decision Making Capacity, hence a full assessment is recommended in order to track them down. Further research is needed to better interpret the association between antipsychotic induced weight gain and Decision Making Capacity in patients suffering from schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.
Authors: Enric Vincens Pons; Luis Salvador-Carulla; Alfredo Calcedo-Barba; Silvia Paz; Thomas Messer; Bruno Paccardi; Scott L Zeller Journal: Health Sci Rep Date: 2020-08-09