The Medication Use Issues and Challenges of Mental Illness Exacerbation in Patients with Schizophrenia: A Qualitative Study in Thailand [Letter]

Dear editor

The article titled “The Medication Use Issues and Challenges of Mental Illness Exacerbation in Patients with Schizophrenia: A Qualitative Study in Thailand”¹ offers a compelling viewpoint. This study demonstrated a crucial discovery that adherence to medicine is the principal determinant of preventing relapses in patients with schizophrenia. This was due to medication alleviating symptoms, fostering positive thinking, and enhancing productivity. Furthermore, the study also holds practical implications for the social milieu in improving the quality of life of schizophrenia patients, mitigating symptom occurrence, and curbing hospital readmissions. This study significantly contributes to the enhanced mental health service and fosters a supportive social environment for patients with schizophrenia in Thailand.

Nevertheless, the study possessed several restrictions, including¹ Methodology restrictions; the research spanned a lengthy period of one year and relied on the input of merely five crucial informants. The reason for the extended duration of this research has yet to be explained. Furthermore, there needs to be more clarity regarding the number of comprehensive interviews conducted, the identity of the interviewers, the language employed, and the level of rigour and trustworthiness.² Cultural restrictions arise due to the informants’ characteristics not being representative of the population in terms of gender, age, education, marital status, and substance addiction. Hence, the findings and recommendations may exclusively pertain to specific cultural, religious, and social situations.² In order to tackle this problem, forthcoming studies should focus on enhancing the methodology, such as refining recruitment techniques and increasing the sample size to encompass a broader spectrum of cultural, religious, and socioeconomic viewpoints. In addition, they clearly and explicitly emphasise the need for rigour and trustworthiness in qualitative research. By incorporating these recommendations, research can surmount methodological and cultural constraints and offer a comprehensive perspective on medication adherence by gathering data from different cultural, religious, and social backgrounds.