Therapies for treatment non-adherence

What is treatment non-adherence? 

Treatment non-adherence is the failure to comply with prescribed treatments, either pharmaceutical or psychosocial. Non-adherence to treatments reduces their effectiveness, delays illness remission, and increases the chances and severity of a psychotic relapse. Greater treatment adherence contributes to improved quality of life, improved attitudes towards treatment and medication, and increases confidence and insight into the disorder.

What is the evidence for psychosocial interventions for treatment non-adherence?

Moderate quality evidence suggests behavioural therapies alone or in combination with educational or affective interventions may improve treatment adherence compared to standard care.

Moderate to low quality evidence suggests family therapies or educational therapies may improve treatment adherence, but there was no clear benefit of manual-directed compliance therapy over non-specific counselling.

Moderate quality evidence finds no benefit of adherence therapy (based on motivational interviewing plus cognitive behavioural therapy) for treatment adherence over standard care, although there is some benefit for improving symptoms.

September 2020

Last updated at: 4:11 am, 21st September 2020
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