Brief interventions for improving adherence in schizophrenia: A pilot study using electronic medication event monitoring. (March 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tessier, Arnaud; Dupuy, Maud; Baylé, Franck Jean; Herse, Corinne; Lange, Anne-Catherine; Vrijens, Bernard; Schweitzer, Pierre; Swendsen, Joel; Misdrahi, David
• Is Part Of: Psychiatry research. Volume 285(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-03
• Subjects: Schizophrenia -- Medication adherence -- Non-adherence -- Intervention -- Electronic monitoring -- Medication event monitoring system; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Psychiatry -- periodicals; Psychiatrie -- Périodiques; 616.89
• DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2020.112780
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0165-1781

Abstract

Highlights: Strategies aimed at improving medication adherence are of central important to prevent relapse and enhance prognosis of patients suffering from schizophrenia. When using electronic medication monitoring as an objective measure of adherence, easily-implemented or lower-cost strategies may not result in significant improvements in adherence in community-dwelling patients at high risk for relapse. The promising findings observed for previous adherence interventions should be pursued with a greater emphasis on new tools that improve reporting accuracy. Abstract: Poor medication adherence remains frequent in schizophrenia. The present study examined the efficacy of two month-long pilot interventions using the Medication Event Monitoring System (MEMS®). Thirty-three outpatients at high risk for relapse were randomized to receive a smartphone-based intervention, a nurse-based intervention, or treatment as usual. All patients then used the MEMS® to objectively measure medication adherence over six months. No differences were observed in adherence measures or relapse rates across the three groups. When using electronic medication monitoring as an objective measure of adherence, easily-implemented interventions may not significantly improve adherence in patients at high risk for relapse.