Strategies to increase compliance with out-patient aftercare among patients referred to a psychiatric emergency department: a multi-centre controlled intervention study

Abstract

Helping the patient to attend an initial appointment can be achieved by a combination of practical and organizational arrangements.

How Effective are Interventions to Enhance Adherence to Psychiatric Medications? Practice Implications for Social Workers Working With Adults Diagnosed With Severe Mental Illness

“…Specifically, studies must become more rigorous in their design and implementation (e.g., conducting power analyses prior to recruiting study participants and controlling for diagnosis, symptom severity, and polypharmacy). Increased standardization is needed; some studies are already manualized (Kluger & Karras, 1983;Hogarty, 2002), whereas others are non-standardized across intervention sites (Spooren et al, 1998). Future interventions that employ complex strategies informed by multiple theoretical orientations should have the statistical power necessary to partial out main effects, interactions, and multiplicative effects of the interventions on adherence outcomes.…”

“…Cognitive-behavioral techniques that were supported included those employing coping strategies such as negative thought replacement (Robinson et al, 1995) and collaborative treatment with cognitive and motivational interviewing components (Spooren, Van Heeringen, & Jannes, 1998). Although only evaluated by one group, compliance therapy (Kemp, Hayward, Applewaithe, Everitt, & David, 1996) received consistent support.…”

Suicidal Individuals and Mental Health Treatment: A Novel Approach to Engagement

“…Overall, the interventions tested had either little success at improving the rate of treatment engagement of suicide attempters (Spooren et al 1998;Cedereke et al 2002) or, despite being effective, are not feasible in nature within large urban settings because the economic and time commitments required prevent the intervention from easily being incorporated into standard practice (Van Heeringen et al 1995). However, from the limitations associated with these studies, several important conclusions can be drawn; specifically, that it is necessary to initiate contact immediately upon presentation to the ED, and that the level of contact needs to extend beyond a single phone call or letter (Cedereke et al 2002).…”

“…Of the few studies that have specifically focused on treatment engagement among adult suicide attempters, interventions examined have primarily focused on various types of written, phone, or in-home contact with suicide attempters post-discharge from an emergency department (ED) as a means of encouraging participation in outpatient treatment participation (Cedereke et al 2002;Spooren et al 1998;Van Heeringen et al 1995). Van Heeringen et al (1995) tested the effectiveness of sending a visiting nurse to patients' homes in order to improve treatment adherence within a 1-year period.…”

“…Van Heeringen et al (1995) tested the effectiveness of sending a visiting nurse to patients' homes in order to improve treatment adherence within a 1-year period. Spooren et al (1998) attempted to improve treatment engagement by providing a comprehensive referral (including a fixed appointment) and a flexible treatment approach (including family involvement, meeting with the outpatient treatment provider, incorporating the patient's perspective, and motivating the patient to attend treatment). Cedereke et al (2002) examined the effectiveness of follow-up telephone contact post-discharge from the ED at improving rates of treatment adherence.…”