Back to Journals » Patient Preference and Adherence » Volume 7

Suboptimal treatment adherence in bipolar disorder: impact on clinical outcomes and functioning

Authors Montes J, Maurino J, de Dios C, Medina E

Received 17 October 2012

Accepted for publication 21 November 2012

Published 18 January 2013 Volume 2013:7 Pages 89—94

DOI https://doi.org/10.2147/PPA.S39290

Checked for plagiarism Yes

Review by Single anonymous peer review

Peer reviewer comments 3



Jose Manuel Montes1, Jorge Maurino2, Consuelo de Dios3, Esteban Medina2

1Department of Psychiatry, Hospital Universitario del Sureste, 2AstraZeneca Medical Department, 3Department of Psychiatry, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain

Background: The primary aim of this study was to assess drug treatment adherence in patients with bipolar disorder and to identify factors associated with adherence. The secondary aim was to analyze the impact of suboptimal adherence on clinical and functional outcomes.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a sample of outpatients receiving an oral antipsychotic drug. Medication adherence was assessed combining the 10-item Drug Attitude Inventory, the Morisky Green Adherence Questionnaire, and the Compliance Rating Scale. Logistic regression was used to determine significant variables associated with suboptimal adherence to medication.
Results: Three hundred and three patients were enrolled into the study. The mean age was 45.9 ± 12.8 years, and 59.7% were females. Sixty-nine percent of patients showed suboptimal adherence. Disease severity and functioning were significantly worse in the suboptimal group than in the adherent group. Multivariate analysis showed depressive polarity of the last acute episode, presence of subsyndromal symptoms, and substance abuse/dependence to be significantly associated with suboptimal treatment adherence (odds ratios 3.41, 2.13, and 1.95, respectively).
Conclusion: A high prevalence of nonadherence was found in an outpatient sample with bipolar disorder. Identification of factors related to treatment adherence would give clinicians the opportunity to select more adequately patients who are eligible for potential adherence-focused interventions.

Keywords: bipolar disorder, treatment adherence, functioning, polarity, subsyndromal symptoms

Creative Commons License © 2013 The Author(s). This work is published and licensed by Dove Medical Press Limited. The full terms of this license are available at https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php and incorporate the Creative Commons Attribution - Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License. By accessing the work you hereby accept the Terms. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. For permission for commercial use of this work, please see paragraphs 4.2 and 5 of our Terms.