Factors affecting compliance with psychotropic drugs for psychiatric patients: descriptive study

Abstract

Background: Poor compliance to psychotropic drugs regimens is a major obstacle to the effective care of
persons who have chronic mental illness
Objective: The aim of this study was to identify the factors affecting compliance with psychotropic drugs
for psychiatric patients.
Materials and Methods: A hospital-based, cross-sectional study design was carried-out in psychiatric
outpatient department of Taha Basher Hospital, Khartoum State.
Sample: A total of 120 psychiatric patients were included and a purposive sampling technique was used.
Data were collected by using face-to-face interview questionnaire.
Results: Seventy-one percent of studied patients were non-compliant with psychotropic drugs; compliance
was significantly more in male patients (34.3%), single (35, 4%), and literate (33.3%). The major factors
affecting compliance with psychotropic drugs and leading to non-compliance were: feeling better (45.0%),
followed by high cost of drugs (25.0%), forgetfulness and fear from drugs side- effect (24.2% & 23.3%)
respectively.
Conclusion: Non-compliance with psychotropic drugs was high in psychiatric patients. All efforts should
be exerted to improve the compliance of psychiatric patients by eliminating the effects leading to noncompliance.