Educational needs and psychoeducation interventions in clozapine users: a narrative review. (9th May 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Verdoux, H.; Quiles, C.
• Is Part Of: Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica. Volume 142:Number 2(2020)
• Page Start: 96
• Page End: 108
• Publication Date: 2020-05-09
• Subjects: clozapine -- treatment‐resistant schizophrenia -- knowledge -- attitude -- education -- psychoeducation; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; 616.89
• DOI: 10.1111/acps.13172
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0001-690X

Abstract

Abstract : Objective: Increasing users' knowledge about the expected benefits and risks of clozapine may contribute to the initiation and maintenance of clozapine in persons with treatment‐resistant schizophrenia (TRS). The objective was to identify the educational needs of clozapine users and the interventions aimed at addressing these needs. Method: We systematically searched multiple electronic databases for articles: (i) exploring educational needs of clozapine users and of their relatives; and (ii) reporting educational interventions aimed at addressing these needs. Data were synthesized narratively. Results: A total of 30 articles published from 1990 to 2019 in 8 countries fulfilled our inclusion criteria. As most studies on educational needs ( n = 18) were carried out in persons already taking clozapine, educational needs of TRS patients who were candidates for clozapine treatment are not well documented. Users' level of knowledge about clozapine was often poor, especially about adverse effects or interactions with other substances, with a poor retention of information delivered at treatment initiation. Among 12 studies reporting educational interventions in clozapine users, five provided quantitative outcomes. Their findings suggest that structured educational programmes may contribute to promote clozapine initiation and to improve users' knowledge about this drug. Conclusion: The literature is sparse on structured educational interventions about clozapine, and only one randomized controlled trial was identified. A promising strategy emerging from this review may be staging educational interventions according to the evolving needs of persons with TRS before clozapine use, at initiation and during maintenance treatment.