Background: Medication non-adherence in schizophrenia is a major cause of relapse and hospitalization, presenting a significant challenge for clinicians. This study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of medication non-adherence and identify the impact of depression, as well as other factors, on medication adherence in individuals with schizophrenia.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted among individuals with schizophrenia, both outpatients and inpatients. Data on sociodemographic, clinical, and therapeutic factors were collected using a dedicated questionnaire. Medication adherence and depression were assessed using two validated scales, the Medication Adherence Rating Scale (MARS) and the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS), respectively.
Results: Among the 305 participants included in this study, 21.3 % had poor medication adherence according to the MARS scores. The logistic regression model showed that only work and depression were significant predictors of poor medication adherence in individuals with schizophrenia.
Conclusion: The results of this study highlight a less explored factor that can influence medication adherence in individuals with schizophrenia, namely, depression. This underpins the importance of treating the non-psychotic dimensions of schizophrenia in the recovery process. However, further studies are needed to better characterize the pathways of medication adherence in schizophrenia.
Keywords: Depression; Influencing factors; Medication adherence; Schizophrenia; Treatment.
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