Treatment adherence as a social ability: a case of patients with schizophrenia
Baudrant-Boga, M.; Holtzmann, J.; Allenet, B.; Debeauchamp, I.; Giraud-Baro, E.
Journal de Pharmacie de Belgique 3: 91-98
2009
ISSN/ISBN: 0047-2166 PMID: 19873850 Document Number: 632939
Psychosocial rehabilitation programs are available for schizophrenic patients to develop social abilities. Taking into account deficits in drug compliance of such patients, psycho-educational programs have been developed to tackle patients' abilities to take their drugs. One year after discharge from psychiatric facilities however, only 50% of the psychotic patients are still compliant with their drug treatment. The aim of our paper is to describe concepts associated with drug adherence as a social ability, and to illustrate these concepts with a program designed for psychotic patients. First, we define the concept of social rehabilitation, second, we describe strategies available to enhance adherence to drug treatment, third, we present a psycho-educational program developed at St. Egrève Hospital, France. This program is centered on the patient's own capacities to become adherent. Individual in-patient consultations, developed by a team of 3 professionals (psychiatrist, pharmacist, nurse) are linked to indiviual follow-up at home. Their scope is to identify specific targets for the patient's self-efficacy to run his drug treatment in an autonomous way.