The attitude of patients towards antipsychotic depot treatment

Abstract

In spite of their well known advantages, depot antipsychotics are seldom prescribed in the treatment of schizophrenia. A frequently stated reason is the patient's objection to depot treatment. We questioned 300 patients in nine psychiatric hospitals shortly before their discharge about their preferences in the mode of administration of antipsychotic treatment, taking earlier depot experience into account. 145 patients were naive to depot treatment, 95 had experienced a depot earlier and 60 were currently on a depot medication. Acceptance of depot treatment in relapse prevention was 73% in patients currently being treated with a depot and 45% in depot-experienced patients, compared with 23% in depot-naive participants. Participants, depending on their experience with the formulation, acknowledged suggested potential advantages of depot treatment. Preference of depots as favorable antipsychotic treatment depends on the patient's experience with the formulation. A considerable number of patients would accept a depot drug as a long-term treatment option. The gap between patients' acceptance and the low prescription rates can be narrowed by offering antipsychotic depots to more patients.

Attitudes towards long-acting depot antipsychotics: A survey of patients, relatives and psychiatrists

“…In such samples a higher satisfaction with the current treatment can be expected. We could not find differentiated results concerning attitudes to depot formulation that depend on former or present experience of patients with depot medication (Heres et al, 2007). A reason for this might rely on the small sample size.…”

“…However, most findings included a selection bias because they focused on patients who were compliant with medication or received injections regularly. A recent survey confirms that preference of depots depends on the patient's experience with the formulation (Heres et al, 2007). A negative attitude towards pharmacological treatment of mental diseases is sometimes found among patients' families and friends.…”

Onset and persistence of efficacy by symptom domain with long-acting injectable paliperidone palmitate in patients with schizophrenia

“…Nevertheless, the work provides valuable insights to guide clinical decision making and future directions for research. Use of LAI antipsychotic medications remains limited, in part because injectable formulations may not be as well accepted by some patients as their oral counterparts [50]; however, acceptance rates are high in patients who have experience with an LAI, and many patients may be open to the use of an LAI antipsychotic if asked by their physician [51][52][53]. Growing evidence indicates that effective doctor--patient communication is a crucial factor in patient acceptance of treatment [54][55][56][57][58], and that physician ambivalence may negatively influence patient acceptance [59].…”

Adherence and Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotics in Schizophrenia: An Update

“…Preference for LAI increased with familiarity or duration of exposure. It is likely that exposure to depot formula enhances its acceptance, as corroborated by a pre-discharge survey of 300 patients from nine psychiatric hospitals in Germany (42). One-hundred and forty-five patients were naive to depot treatment, 95 had experienced depot earlier and 60 were currently on depot medication.…”