Authors: (including presenting author): :
Ip CK, Chan F, Sheung WH, Chu SY, Chang CH, Ng CF
Affiliation: :
Department of Psychiatry, North District Hospital
Introduction: :
Tailor-made design of interventions based on the needs of clients to tackle their challenges were crucial to success. A service review on the needs of dual diagnosed clients who were suffered both substance-use disorder and mental disorder in Substance Abuse Clinic of North District Hospital has been done in Jan - Mar 2019 and medication management were identified as one of the top five topics in both individual and group programs by them. It is important to be addressed as a much poorer adherence towards psychiatric medications was noted among dual diagnosed patients and it negatively affected the overall prognosis and treatment outcomes (Rush, Dennis, Scott, Castel & Funk, 2008; Herbeck et al., 2005). With better consensus on the content in the medication management program, the view on medication adherence was indeed necessary to be understood first (Velligan, Sajatovic, Hatch, Kramata & Docherty, 2017) but there is no local study focused on this knowledge gap. A further in-depth interview was then done in Sept – Nov 2019 to understand their perspectives on medication adherence.
Objectives: :
1. To identify their common reasons and challenges for medication adherence 2. To suggest the foci on future medication management programs
Methodology: :
A descriptive qualitative methodology was used in this review. Semi-structured face-to-face interviews were done for the identified participants served in Substance Abuse Clinic in North District Hospital. Patients who were prescribed psychotropic medications from physician were invited to participate in the interview. The content of the interview was recorded and transcribed in verbatim. Themes were analysed and identified by thematic content analysis
Result & Outcome: :
Twelve participants (three women and nine men) participated in the interview. Reasons and challenges towards medication adherence were identified and categorised as the following themes: 1) Ability to promote sleep; 2) Severity of psychiatric symptoms; 3) Side effects of psychotropic medication; 4) Insight towards mental illness; 5) Concerns from others including family and health care professionals. By identifying these factors, medication management for dual diagnosed patients should put more foci on them to strengthen medication adherence and enhance better outcomes for dual diagnosed patients
