Provider and patient characteristics associated with antidepressant nonadherence: the impact of provider specialty

Patterns, predictors, and patient-reported reasons for antidepressant discontinuation in the WHO World Mental Health Surveys

BACKGROUND

Despite their documented efficacy, substantial proportions of patients discontinue antidepressant medication (ADM) without a doctor's recommendation. The current report integrates data on patient-reported reasons into an investigation of patterns and predictors of ADM discontinuation.

METHODS

Face-to-face interviews with community samples from 13 countries (n = 30 697) in the World Mental Health (WMH) Surveys included n = 1890 respondents who used ADMs within the past 12 months.

RESULTS

10.9% of 12-month ADM users reported discontinuation-based on recommendation of the prescriber while 15.7% discontinued in the absence of prescriber recommendation. The main patient-reported reason for discontinuation was feeling better (46.6%), which was reported by a higher proportion of patients who discontinued within the first 2 weeks of treatment than later. Perceived ineffectiveness (18.5%), predisposing factors (e.g. fear of dependence) (20.0%), and enabling factors (e.g. inability to afford treatment cost) (5.0%) were much less commonly reported reasons. Discontinuation in the absence of prescriber recommendation was associated with low country income level, being employed, and having above average personal income. Age, prior history of psychotropic medication use, and being prescribed treatment from a psychiatrist rather than from a general medical practitioner, in comparison, were associated with a lower probability of this type of discontinuation. However, these predictors varied substantially depending on patient-reported reasons for discontinuation.

CONCLUSION

Dropping out early is not necessarily negative with almost half of individuals noting they felt better. The study underscores the diverse reasons given for dropping out and the need to evaluate how and whether dropping out influences short- or long-term functioning.

Psychosocial interventions to improve adherence in depressed and anxious older adults prescribed antidepressant pharmacotherapy: a scoping review

Medication nonadherence in depressed and anxious older adults is prevalent and associated with non-response to antidepressant pharmacotherapy. Evidence-based options to improve medication adherence are limited in this population. To review the state of the literature on the types and efficacy of psychosocial interventions for improving antidepressant pharmacotherapy adherence in depressed and anxious older adults. We conducted a scoping review according to PRISMA-ScR guidelines. PubMed/Medline and article references starting in 1980 up to 28 February 2023 were reviewed. Of the 710 records screened, 4 psychosocial interventions were included in the review. All studies included depressed older adults, and none included anxious older adults. Samples included racial and ethnic minorities and were primarily women. The psychosocial interventions consisted mainly of psychoeducation with usual care as the control comparison. Measures of antidepressant adherence included self-reported adherence or pill counting. Three of the four randomized controlled trials improved medication adherence rates and reduced depression symptom burden. Effective interventions exist for improving antidepressant medication adherence in depressed older adults. Improved adherence can reduce depression symptom burden. The lack of interventions for anxious older adults highlights the need to develop and deliver interventions for anxious older adults prescribed antidepressant pharmacotherapy.

Antidepressant Prescription Behavior Among Primary Care Clinician Providers After an Interprofessional Primary Care Psychiatric Training Program

Primary care providers (PCPs) are increasingly called upon to screen for and treat depression. However, PCPs often lack the training to diagnose and treat depression. We designed an innovative 12-month evidence and mentorship-based primary care psychiatric training program entitled the University of California, Irvine (UCI) School of Medicine Train New Trainers Primary Care Psychiatry (TNT PCP) Fellowship and examined whether this training impacted clinician prescription rates for antidepressants. We retrieved information on 18,844 patients and 192 PCPs from a publicly insured health program in Southern California receiving care between 2017 and 2021. Of the 192 PCPs, 42 received TNT training and 150 did not. We considered a patient as exposed to the provider's TNT treatment if they received care from a provider after the provider completed the 1-year fellowship. We utilized the number of antidepressant prescriptions per patient, per quarter-year as the dependent variable. Linear regression models controlled for provider characteristics and time trends. Robustness checks included clustering patients by provider identification. After PCPs completed TNT training, "exposed" patients received 0.154 more antidepressant prescriptions per quarter-year relative to expected levels (p < 0.01). Clustering of standard errors by provider characteristics reduced precision of the estimate (p < 0.10) but the direction and magnitude of the results were unchanged. Early results from the UCI TNT PCP Fellowship demonstrate enhanced antidepressant prescription behavior in PCPs who have undergone TNT training. A novel, and relatively low-cost, clinician training program holds the potential to empower PCPs to optimally deliver depression treatment.

Development of a Prediction Model for the Management of Noncommunicable Diseases Among Older Syrian Refugees Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic in Lebanon

IMPORTANCE

Older Syrian refugees have a high burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and economic vulnerability.

OBJECTIVES

To develop and internally validate a predictive model to estimate inability to manage NCDs in older Syrian refugees, and to describe barriers to NCD medication adherence.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This nested prognostic cross-sectional study was conducted through telephone surveys between September 2020 and January 2021. All households in Lebanon with Syrian refugees aged 50 years or older and who received humanitarian assistance from a nongovernmental organization were invited to participate. Refugees who self-reported having chronic respiratory disease (CRD), diabetes, history of cardiovascular disease (CVD), or hypertension were included in the analysis. Data were analyzed from November 2021 to March 2022.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

The main outcome was self-reported inability to manage any NCD (including CRD, CVD, diabetes, or hypertension). Predictors of inability to manage any NCD were assessed using logistic regression models. The model was internally validated using bootstrapping techniques, which gave an estimate of optimism. The optimism-adjusted discrimination is presented using the C statistic, and calibration of the model is presented using calibration slope (C slope).

RESULTS

Of 3322 older Syrian refugees, 1893 individuals (median [IQR] age, 59 [54-65] years; 1089 [57.5%] women) reported having at least 1 NCD, among whom 351 (10.6% overall; 18.6% of those with ≥1 NCD) had CRD, 781 (23.7% overall; 41.4% of those with ≥1 NCD) had diabetes, 794 (24.1% overall; 42.2% of those with ≥1 NCD) had history of CVD, and 1388 (42.3% overall; 73.6% of those with ≥1 NCD) had hypertension. Among individuals with NCDs, 387 participants (20.4%) were unable to manage at least 1 of their NCDs. Predictors for inability to manage NCDs were age, nonreceipt of cash assistance, household water insecurity, household food insecurity, and having multiple chronic diseases, with an adjusted C statistic of 0.650 (95% CI, 0.620-0.676) and C slope of 0.871 (95% CI, 0.729-1.023). The prevalence of nonadherence to medication was 9.2%, and the main reasons for nonadherence were unaffordability of medication (40.8%; 95% CI, 33.4%-48.5%) and the belief that they no longer required the medication after feeling better (22.4%; 95% CI, 16.4%-29.3%).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

In this cross-sectional study, the predictors of inability to manage NCDs among older Syrian refugees in Lebanon were mainly related to financial barriers. Context-appropriate assistance is required to overcome financial barriers and enable equitable access to medication and health care.

Association of Antidepressant Prescription Filling With Treatment Indication and Prior Prescription Filling Behaviors and Medication Experiences

BACKGROUND

Given the wide range of uses for antidepressants, understanding indication-specific patterns of prescription filling for antidepressants provide valuable insights into how patients use these medications in real-world settings.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to determine the association of antidepressant prescription filling with treatment indication, as well as prior prescription filling behaviors and medication experiences.

DESIGN

This retrospective cohort study took place in Quebec, Canada.

PARTICIPANTS

Adults with public drug insurance prescribed antidepressants using MOXXI (Medical Office of the XXIst Century)-an electronic prescribing system requiring primary care physicians to document treatment indications and reasons for prescription stops or changes.

MEASURES

MOXXI provided information on treatment indications, past prescriptions, and prior medication experiences (treatment ineffectiveness and adverse drug reactions). Linked claims data provided information on dispensed medications and other patient-related factors. Multivariable logistic regression models estimated the independent association of not filling an antidepressant prescription (within 90 d) with treatment indication and patients' prior prescription filling behaviors and medication experiences.

RESULTS

Among 38,751 prescriptions, the prevalence of unfilled prescriptions for new and ongoing antidepressant therapy was 34.2% and 4.1%, respectively. Compared with depression, odds of not filling an antidepressant prescription varied from 0.74 to 1.57 by indication and therapy status. The odds of not filling an antidepressant prescription was higher among adults filling < 50% of their medication prescriptions in the past year and adults with an antidepressant prescription stopped or changed in the past year due to treatment ineffectiveness.

CONCLUSION

Antidepressant prescription filling behaviors differed by treatment indication and were lower among patients with a history of poor prescription filling or ineffective treatment with antidepressants.

Drug exposure misclassification in pharmacoepidemiology: Sources and relative impact

BACKGROUND

Drug exposure assessment based on dispensing data can be misclassified when patients do not adhere to their therapy or when information about over-the-counter drugs is not captured in the study database. Previous research has considered hypothetical sensitivity and specificity values, whereas this study aims to assess the impact of literature-based real values of exposure misclassification.

METHODS

A synthetic cohort study was constructed based on the proportion of exposure theoretically captured in a database (range 0.5-1.0) and the level of adherence (0.5-1.0). Three scenarios were explored: nondifferential misclassification, differential misclassification (misclassifications dependent on an unmeasured risk factor doubling the outcome risk), and nondifferential misclassification in a comparative effectiveness study (RR_A and RR_B both 2.0 compared to nonuse, RR_A-B 1.0).

RESULTS

For the scenarios with nondifferential misclassification, 25% nonadherence or 25% uncaptured exposure changed the RR from 2.0 to 1.75, and 1.95, respectively. Applying different proportions of nonadherence or uncaptured use (20% vs. 40%) for subgroups with and without the risk factor, an RR of 0.95 was observed in the absence of a true effect (i.e., true RR = 1). In the comparative effectiveness study, no effect on RR was seen for different proportions of uncaptured exposure; however, different levels of nonadherence for the drugs (20% vs. 40%) led to an underestimation of RR_A-B (0.89).

DISCUSSION

All scenarios led to biased estimates, but the magnitude of the bias differed across scenarios. When testing the robustness of findings of pharmacoepidemiologic studies, we recommend using realistic values of nonadherence and uncaptured exposure based on real-world data.

Factors Associated with Antidepressant Medication Non-adherence

Medication non-adherence is one of the major problems in treating patients with depression. Non-adherence results in an increased risk of relapse and reduced quality of life. The objective of this review was to review and summarize studies that focused on the factors associated with antidepressant medication non-adherence in patients with depression. Literature searches were performed using PubMed/Medline and Google Scholar. The search was limited to articles published in the English language in peer-reviewed journals between January 2000 and December 2019. Studies that analyzed factors of non-compliance in patients with depressive disorders were included in the review. Patient-related factors such as forgetfulness, comorbidities, and misconceptions about the disease and medication, medication-related factors, polypharmacy, side effects, pill burden and cost, healthcare system-related factors, including physician-patient interactions, sociocultural factors such religious and cultural beliefs and stigma, and logistic factors were found to be the major factors associated with antidepressant non-adherence. Efforts should be made to increase patient adherence to antidepressants by strengthening physician-patient relationships, simplifying medication regimens, and rectifying myths and beliefs held by patients with scientific information and explanations.

A Case Report of College Students' Rating of a Shared Decision-Making Tool for Taking Antidepression Medication

Forty-nine students enrolled at a medium size public university volunteered to review an interactive decision-making tool constructed to present the pros and cons of taking antidepression medication. The tool is built according to guidelines for shared decision-making with 7 educational sections followed by 4 queries on expectations about antidepressants, 3 key knowledge questions, and determination of readiness to take action. The most frequently cited reason for the content being helpful was improved understanding (78%) followed by increased personal confidence (37%) and helped me take action (14%). The most frequently cited reason for the content not being more helpful was already known information (74%) followed by not enough information (12%). The range of personal preferences underscores the complexity of motivations in responding to depressive symptoms. The prevalence of depression in the college population with a range of treatment options, limitations on resources, and new challenges mounted with the pandemic for campus life recommends further study of such tools.

Multinational Investigation of Fracture Risk with Antidepressant Use by Class, Drug, and Indication

OBJECTIVES

Antidepressants increase the risk of falls and fracture in older adults. However, risk estimates vary considerably even in comparable populations, limiting the usefulness of current evidence for clinical decision making. Our aim was to apply a common protocol to cohorts of older antidepressant users in multiple jurisdictions to estimate fracture risk associated with different antidepressant classes, drugs, doses, and potential treatment indications.

DESIGN

Retrospective (2009–2014) cohort study.

SETTING

Five jurisdictions in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and Taiwan.

PARTICIPANTS

Older antidepressant users—subjects were followed from first antidepressant prescription or dispensation to first fracture or until the end of follow‐up.

MEASUREMENTS

The risk of fractures with antidepressants was estimated by multivariable Cox proportional hazards models using time‐varying measures of antidepressant dose and use vs nonuse, adjusting for patient characteristics.

RESULTS

Between 42.9% and 55.6% of study cohorts were 75 years and older, and 29.3% to 45.4% were men. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) (48.4%‐60.0%) were the predominant class used in North America compared with tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) in the United Kingdom and Taiwan (49.6%‐53.6%). Fracture rates varied from 37.67 to 107.18 per 1,000. The SSRIs citalopram (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.23; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.11‐1.36 to HR = 1.43; 95% CI = 1.11‐1.84) and sertraline (HR = 1.36; 95% CI = 1.10‐1.68), the SNRI duloxetine (HR = 1.41; 95% CI = 1.06‐1.88), TCAs doxepin (HR = 1.36; 95% CI = 1.00‐1.86) and imipramine (HR = 1.16; 95% CI = 1.05‐1.28), and atypicals (HR = 1.34; 95% CI = 1.14‐1.58) increased fracture risk in some but not all jurisdictions. In the United States and the United Kingdom, fracture risk with all classes was higher when prescribed for depression than chronic pain, a trend that is likely explained by drug choice.

CONCLUSION

The fracture risk for patients may be reduced by selecting paroxetine, an SSRI with lower risk than citalopram, the SNRI venlafaxine over duloxetine, and the TCA amitriptyline over imipramine or doxepin. There is uncertainty about the risk associated with the atypical antidepressants. J Am Geriatr Soc 68:1494‐1503, 2020.

Racial/ethnic differences in treatment quality among youth with primary care provider-initiated versus mental health specialist-initiated care for major depressive disorders

OBJECTIVES

To compare the racial/ethnic differences in treatment quality among youth with primary care provider-initiated versus mental health specialist-initiated care for major depressive disorders (MDD).

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the 2005-2007 Medicaid claims data from Texas. Youth aged 10-20 during the study period were identified if they had two consecutive MDD diagnoses and received either medications for MDD or psychotherapy. Patients who received ≥84 days of medications and/or ≥4 sessions of psychotherapy for MDD treatment during 4 months of follow-up were considered meeting the minimum adequacy of treatment.

RESULTS

The generalized linear multilevel model (MLM) analysis revealed that both Hispanics and Blacks were approximately 30% less likely to receive adequate treatment (Hispanics - OR: 0.67; 95% CI: 0.6-0.8) (Blacks - OR: 0.66; 95% CI: 0.6-0.8) and Hispanic children were 50% more likely to undergo MH-related hospitalization (OR: 1.53; 95% CI: 1.1-2.2) compared to their White counterparts. The odds of meeting the minimum MDD treatment adequacy were comparable between pediatric MDD cases first identified by primary care providers (PCP-I) and psychiatrists (PSY-I) (PCP-I vs. PSY-I: OR: 0.97; 95% CI: 0.8-1.2), and slightly lower in those first identified by social workers/psychologists (SWP-I) as compared to PSY-I (SWP-I vs. PSY-I: OR: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.7-0.9). In all models, the interaction between race/ethnicity and type of provider who initiated MDD care was not statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS

Minority youths received less adequate MDD treatment compared to Whites. Hispanic children had the highest risk of having mental health-related hospitalization. The specialty of provider who initiated MDD care had limited impact on treatment quality and was not associated with the racial/ethnic variations in treatment completion and mental health-related hospitalizations.

Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a multicomponent intervention to improve medication adherence in people with depressive disorders - MAPDep: a study protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial

PURPOSE

Depression is a widespread mental disorder which can be treated effectively. However, low adherence to antidepressants is very common. The study of medication adherence in depression (MAPDep study) assesses the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a multicomponent strategy to enhance adherence toward medications in patients with depression.

INTERVENTION

The intervention is a multicomponent one consisting of an educational program for psychiatrists and/or a collaborative care program for patients and relatives, plus a reminder system that works through the use of an already available high-quality medication reminder application.

STUDY DESIGN

MAPDep study is an open, multicenter, four-arm cluster randomized controlled trial. The clusters are mental health units where psychiatrists are invited to participate. The clusters are randomly allocated to one of the three interventions or to usual care (control arm). Patients (18-65 years of age) diagnosed with depressive disorder, those taking antidepressant medication for an existing diagnosis of depression, and mobile phone users are selected. In group 1, only patients and relatives receive intervention; in group 2, only psychiatrists receive intervention; and in group 3, patients/relatives and psychiatrists receive intervention. The primary outcome is adherence to the antidepressant drug. The calculated sample size is 400 patients. To examine changes across time, generalized linear mixed model with repeated measures will be used. A cost-effectiveness analysis will be conducted. The effectiveness measure is quality-adjusted life years. Deterministic sensitivity analyses are planned.

CONCLUSION

MAPDep study aims to assess a multicomponent strategy to improve adherence toward medications in patients with depression, based not only on clinical effectiveness but also on cost-effectiveness. This methodology will enhance the transferability of the expected results beyond mental health services (patients and psychiatrists) to health care policy decision making.

CLINICAL TRIAL IDENTIFIER

NCT03668457.

Factors influencing adherence to psychopharmacological medications in psychiatric patients: a structural equation modeling approach

PURPOSE

To evaluate pathways through which sociodemographic, clinical, attitudinal, and perceived health control variables impact psychiatric patients' adherence to psychopharmacological medications.

METHOD

A sample of 966 consecutive psychiatric outpatients was studied. The variables were sociodemographic (age, gender, and education), clinical (diagnoses, drug treatment, and treatment duration), attitudinal (attitudes toward psychopharmacological medication and preferences regarding participation in decision-making), perception of control over health (health locus of control, self-efficacy, and psychological reactance), and level of adherence to psychopharmacological medications. Structural equation modeling was applied to examine the nonstraightforward relationships and the interactive effects among the analyzed variables.

RESULTS

Structural equation modeling demonstrated that psychiatric patients' treatment adherence was associated: 1) negatively with cognitive psychological reactance (adherence decreased as cognitive psychological reactance increased), 2) positively with patients' trust in their psychiatrists (doctors' subscale), 3) negatively with patients' belief that they are in control of their mental health and that their mental health depends on their own actions (internal subscale), and 4) positively (although weakly) with age. Self-efficacy indirectly influenced treatment adherence through internal health locus of control.

CONCLUSION

This study provides support for the hypothesis that perceived health control variables play a relevant role in psychiatric patients' adherence to psychopharmacological medications. The findings highlight the importance of considering prospective studies of patients' psychological reactance and health locus of control as they may be clinically relevant factors contributing to adherence to psychopharmacological medications.

Pharmacological and psychosocial treatment of depression in primary care: Low intensity and poor adherence and continuity

BACKGROUND

Primary health care bears the main responsibility for treating depression in most countries. However, few studies have comprehensively investigated provision of pharmacological and psychosocial treatments, their continuity, or patient attitudes and adherence to treatment in primary care.

METHODS

In the Vantaa Primary Care Depression Study, 1111 consecutive primary care patients in the City of Vantaa, Finland, were screened for depression with Prime-MD, and 137 were diagnosed with DSM-IV depressive disorders via SCID-I/P and SCID-II interviews. The 100 patients with current major depressive disorder (MDD) or partly remitted MDD at baseline were prospectively followed up to 18 months, and their treatment contacts and the treatments provided were longitudinally followed.

RESULTS

The median number of patients' visits to a general practitioner during the follow-up was five; of those due to depression two. Antidepressant treatment was offered to 82% of patients, but only 50% commenced treatment and adhered to it adequately. Psychosocial support was offered to 49%, but only 29% adhered to the highly variable interventions. Attributed reasons for poor adherence varied, including negative attitude, side effects, practical obstacles, or no perceived need. About one-quarter (23%) of patients were referred to specialized care at some time-point.

LIMITATIONS

Moderate sample size. Data collected in 2002-2004.

CONCLUSIONS

The majority of depressive patients in primary health care had been offered pharmacotherapy, psychotherapeutic support, or both. However, effectiveness of these efforts may have been limited by lack of systematic follow-up and poor adherence to both pharmacotherapy and psychosocial treatment.

Predicting persistence to antidepressant treatment in administrative claims data: Considering the influence of refill delays and prior persistence on other medications

BACKGROUND

Many patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) who begin antidepressant treatment discontinue use before for six months, the recommended minimum treatment length. This study sought to identify predictors of six-month antidepressant persistence including predictors utilizing patients' electronic prescription records.

METHODS

Commercially insured children (3-17 years) and adults (18-64 years) with MDD who initiated antidepressant treatment, 1/1/2003-2/28/2010, were assessed for six-month persistence (based on prescriptions' days supply, allowing a 30-day grace period). Antidepressant persistence prediction models were developed separately for children and adults. Two additional measures, days without medication between the first and second antidepressant fill (children and adults) and prior persistence on other medications (adults only), were added to the models, concordance (c) statistics were compared and risk reclassification evaluated.

RESULTS

Among children (n=8837 children) and adults (n=47,495) with MDD, six-month antidepressant persistence was low and varied by age (37%, 18-24 years to 52%, 3-12 and 50-64 years). Independent baseline predictors of persistence were identified, with model c-statistics: children=0.582, adults=0.584. Patients with more days without medication between fills were less likely to be persistent (10-30 vs. 0 days, children: RR=0.72, adults: RR=0.74), as were adults not previously persistent to other medications (RR=0.73).

LIMITATIONS

The definition of six-month persistence is dependent on correct days supply values and the grace period utilized; potential predictors were limited to measures available in claims data.

CONCLUSIONS

Six-month antidepressant persistence was low and overall prediction of persistence was poor; however, days without medication between fills and prior persistence on other medications marginally improved the ability to predict antidepressant persistence.

What factors influence long-term antidepressant use in primary care? Findings from the Australian diamond cohort study

BACKGROUND

Antidepressants are one of the most commonly prescribed drugs in primary care. The rise in use is mostly due to an increasing number of long-term users of antidepressants (LTU AD). Little is known about the factors driving increased long-term use. We examined the socio-demographic, clinical factors and health service use characteristics associated with LTU AD to extend our understanding of the factors that may be driving the increase in antidepressant use.

METHODS

Cross-sectional analysis of 789 participants with probable depression (CES-D≥16) recruited from 30 randomly selected Australian general practices to take part in a ten-year cohort study about depression were surveyed about their antidepressant use.

RESULTS

165 (21.0%) participants reported <2 years of antidepressant use and 145 (18.4%) reported ≥2 years of antidepressant use. After adjusting for depression severity, LTU AD was associated with: single (OR 1.56, 95%CI 1.05-2.32) or recurrent episode of depression (3.44, 2.06-5.74); using SSRIs (3.85, 2.03-7.33), sedatives (2.04, 1.29-3.22), or antipsychotics (4.51, 1.67-12.17); functional limitations due to long-term illness (2.81, 1.55-5.08), poor/fair self-rated health (1.57, 1.14-2.15), inability to work (2.49, 1.37-4.53), benefits as main source of income (2.15, 1.33-3.49), GP visits longer than 20min (1.79, 1.17-2.73); rating GP visits as moderately to extremely helpful (2.71, 1.79-4.11), and more self-help practices (1.16, 1.09-1.23).

LIMITATIONS

All measures were self-report. Sample may not be representative of culturally different or adolescent populations. Cross-sectional design raises possibility of "confounding by indication".

CONCLUSIONS

Long-term antidepressant use is relatively common in primary care. It occurs within the context of complex mental, physical and social morbidities. Whilst most long-term use is associated with a history of recurrent depression there remains a significant opportunity for treatment re-evaluation and timely discontinuation.

Does change in cognitive function predict change in costs of care for people with a schizophrenia diagnosis following cognitive remediation therapy?

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Schizophrenia leads to significant personal costs matched by high economic costs. Cognitive function is a strong predictor of disabilities in schizophrenia, which underpin these costs. This study of cognitive remediation therapy (CRT), which has been shown to improve cognition and reduce disability in schizophrenia, aims to investigate associations between improvements in cognition and cost changes.

METHODS

Eighty-five participants with schizophrenia were randomized to receive CRT or treatment as usual and were assessed at baseline, posttherapy, and 6 month follow-up. Four structural equation models investigated associations between changes in cognitive function and costs of care.

RESULTS

All 4 models provided a good fit. Improvement in 3 individual cognitive variables did not predict total cost changes (model 1). But improvement in a single latent cognition factor was associated with a reduction in depression, which in turn was associated with reduced subsequent total costs (model 2). No significant associations with constituent daycare and special accommodation cost changes were apparent with 3 individual cognitive change variables (model 3). But improvement in a single latent cognitive change variable was associated with subsequent reductions in both daycare and special accommodation costs (model 4).

CONCLUSION

This study exemplifies a method of using cost changes to investigate the effects and mechanisms of CRT and suggests that executive function change may be an important target if we are to reduce disability and resultant health and social care costs.

[Adherence to patients antidepressant treatment and the factors associated of non-compiance]

Objetivo

Conocer la adherencia al tratamiento en pacientes que inician fármacos antidepresivos y analizar los factores asociados al incumplimiento, tanto clínicos como sociodemográficos.

Diseño

Estudio observacional longitudinal prospectivo.

Emplazamiento

Consultas de atención primaria y de salud mental de tres áreas sanitarias de Castilla-La Mancha.

Participantes

Un total de 185 pacientes mayores de 18 años que iniciaron tratamiento antidepresivo.

Mediciones principales

Cumplimiento terapéutico (test Haynes-Sackett, Morisky-Green, recuento de comprimidos y MEMS), efectos adversos, intensidad de los síntomas depresivos, características sociodemográficas y otras características relacionadas con los antidepresivos o con los participantes.

Resultados

Tras 6 meses del inicio del tratamiento antidepresivo, el 46,9% (IC 95%: 36,5-57,3) mostró un cumplimiento inadecuado mediante el método de recuento de comprimidos, y el 28,6% (IC 95%: 19,1-38,0) con el cuestionario de Morisky-Green. A los 15 días la falta de adherencia fue del 48,5% (IC 95%: 40,6-56,4) y del 33,5% (IC 95%: 26,1-41,0), respectivamente. El 38,4% (IC 95%: 31,1-45,7) manifestó algún efecto secundario durante el seguimiento. Mediante un modelo de riesgos proporcionales de Cox las variables relacionadas con incumplimiento fueron menor edad, nivel de instrucción inferior a enseñanza secundaria, prestación farmacéutica como pensionista, no recibir tratamiento psicoterápico, consumir menor número de fármacos no antidepresivos y frecuentación ≤ 3 visitas al médico de familia los 3 meses previos al inicio del estudio.

Conclusiones

El incumplimiento del tratamiento antidepresivo es elevado en atención primaria desde las primeras semanas tras iniciarlo. Constituyen factores condicionantes del mismo los relacionados con características sociodemográficas y con otras características de los pacientes como tipo de financiación de prestación farmacéutica y frecuentación a las consultas.

Mood disorders medications: predictors of nonadherence - review of the current literature

Studies have shown that there are several factors that predict nonadherence among patients with mood disorders. The aim of the present review is to identify the predictors of nonadherence among these patients. A careful review of the literature was conducted investigating several potential predictors of nonadherence among patients with mood disorders. A total of 217 relevant articles from peer-reviewed journals were considered, and articles that met our inclusion criteria (n = 54) were selected for this review. The authors identified several predictors of nonadherence among patients with mood disorders including younger age (below 40 years old), comorbidity with substance use and personality disorders, patients' beliefs, poor insight, illness severity, treatment-related side effects, specific features of the disease and a poor therapeutic alliance. Substance use disorder and illness severity are significant predictors of nonadherence especially in patients with bipolar disorder; whereas, treatment side effects are of primary importance for depressive disorder. The authors could not carry out a meta-analysis given that the studies considered in this review assessed patients at different time points and included different measurements of nonadherence. Moreover, articles cited in this review may reflect the authors' choice, and the authors did not investigate the adherence to a specific class of drugs commonly used in the management of mood disorders. Given the high social, clinical and economic impact of nonadherence among patients who are affected by mood disorders, it is critical to recognize patients at high risk of nonadherence in order to inform future strategies to examine and improve adherence to treatment. Further research is needed to clarify this issue.

Patient preference for psychological vs pharmacologic treatment of psychiatric disorders: a meta-analytic review

OBJECTIVE

Evidence-based practice involves the consideration of efficacy and effectiveness, clinical expertise, and patient preference in treatment selection. However, patient preference for psychiatric treatment has been understudied. The aim of this meta-analytic review was to provide an estimate of the proportion of patients preferring psychological treatment relative to medication for psychiatric disorders.

DATA SOURCES

A literature search was conducted using PubMed, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Collaboration library through August 2011 for studies written in English that assessed adult patient preferences for the treatment of psychiatric disorders. The following search terms and subject headings were used in combination: patient preference, consumer preference, therapeutics, psychotherapy, drug therapy, mental disorders, depression, anxiety, insomnia, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, substance-related disorder, eating disorder, and personality disorder. In addition, the reference sections of identified articles were examined to locate any additional articles not captured by this search.

STUDY SELECTION

Studies that assessed preferred type of treatment and included at least 1 psychological treatment and 1 pharmacologic treatment were included. Of the 644 articles identified, 34 met criteria for inclusion.

DATA EXTRACTION

Authors extracted relevant data including the proportion of participants reporting preference for psychological or pharmacologic treatment.

RESULTS

The proportion of adult patients preferring psychological treatment was 0.75 (95% CI, 0.69-0.80), which was significantly higher than equivalent preference (ie, higher than 0.50; P < .001). Sensitivity analyses suggested that younger patients (P = .05) and women (P < .01) were significantly more likely to choose psychological treatment. A preference for psychological treatment was consistently evident in both treatment-seeking and unselected (ie, non-treatment-seeking) samples (P < .001 for both) but was somewhat stronger for unselected samples.

CONCLUSIONS

Aggregation of patient preferences across diverse settings yielded a significant 3-fold preference for psychological treatment. Given evidence for enhanced outcomes among those receiving their preferred psychiatric treatment and the trends for decreasing utilization of psychotherapy, strategies to maximize the linkage of patients to preferred care are needed.

The impact of the type of insurance plan on adherence and persistence with antidepressants: a matched cohort study

OBJECTIVE

To compare adherence to, and persistence with, antidepressants (AD) in Quebec patients who are covered by private and public drug insurance.

METHOD

A matched cohort study was conducted using prescription claims databases: reMed, a medication data registry for Quebec residents covered by private drug insurance, and Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec database for Quebec residents with public drug insurance. Patients were aged 18 to 64 years and filled at least 1 prescription for an AD in monotherapy between December 2007 and September 2009 (194 privately and 2055 publicly insured patients). Adherence over 1 year was estimated using the proportion of prescribed days covered (PPDC). The difference in mean PPDC between patients with private and public drug insurance was estimated with linear regression. Persistence was compared between the groups with a Cox regression model.

RESULTS

The PPDC was 86.4% (95% CI 83.3% to 89.5%) in privately insured and 82.2% (95% CI 78.5% to 85.9%) in publicly insured patients and the adjusted mean difference was 5.1% (95% CI 1.6% to 8.6%). Persistence was 51.0% in the private group and 19.7% in the public group at 1 year (P < 0.001); the adjusted hazard ratio was 0.49 (95% CI 0.30 to 0.79).

CONCLUSION

Better adherence and persistence were observed in privately insured patients. Adherence difference may be due to lower copayment among privately insured patients.

Coverage of atypical antipsychotics among medicare drug plans in the state of washington: changes between 2007 and 2008

OBJECTIVE

To examine changes in the cost and coverage of atypical antipsychotics among Medicare prescription drug plans and Medicare advantage plans in the state of Washington.

METHOD

Coverage and cost data were obtained in February 2007 and 2008 from the Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Finder, an online database administered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Premiums, deductibles, out-of-pocket costs, and coverage limits were compared for prescription drug plans (PDPs) and for Medicare advantage plans (MAPs).

RESULTS

The number of PDPs in the state of Washington fell slightly from 57 in 2007 to 53 in 2008, while the number of MAPs rose from 43 in 2007 to 52 in 2008. In 2008, the mean monthly drug premium increased by 15% among PDPs and by 20% among MAPs. Mean copayments for the majority of atypical antipsychotics increased from 2007 to 2008. More plans added quantity limits for atypical antipsychotics, but use of other pharmacy management tools varied by type of plan and antipsychotic.

CONCLUSIONS

PDP and MAP participants in the state of Washington paid more for atypical antipsychotics in 2008 than they did in 2007. Affordability of atypical antipsychotics continues to be a concern, particularly for beneficiaries who are not eligible for Medicaid or the low-income subsidy.

Vicarious experience affects patients' treatment preferences for depression

Purpose

Depression is common in primary care but often under-treated. Personal experiences with depression can affect adherence to therapy, but the effect of vicarious experience is unstudied. We sought to evaluate the association between a patient's vicarious experiences with depression (those of friends or family) and treatment preferences for depressive symptoms.

Methods

We sampled 1054 English and/or Spanish speaking adult subjects from July through December 2008, randomly selected from the 2008 California Behavioral Risk Factor Survey System, regarding depressive symptoms and treatment preferences. We then constructed a unidimensional scale using item analysis that reflects attitudes about antidepressant pharmacotherapy. This became the dependent variable in linear regression analyses to examine the association between vicarious experiences and treatment preferences for depressive symptoms.

Results

Our sample was 68% female, 91% white, and 13% Hispanic. Age ranged from 18–94 years. Mean PHQ-9 score was 4.3; 14.5% of respondents had a PHQ-9 score >9.0, consistent with active depressive symptoms. Analyses controlling for current depression symptoms and socio-demographic factors found that in patients both with (coefficient 1.08, p = 0.03) and without (coefficient 0.77, p = 0.03) a personal history of depression, having a vicarious experience (family and friend, respectively) with depression is associated with a more favorable attitude towards antidepressant medications.

Conclusions

Patients with vicarious experiences of depression express more acceptance of pharmacotherapy. Conversely, patients lacking vicarious experiences of depression have more negative attitudes towards antidepressants. When discussing treatment with patients, clinicians should inquire about vicarious experiences of depression. This information may identify patients at greater risk for non-adherence and lead to more tailored patient-specific education about treatment.

Beliefs about medications predict adherence to antidepressants in older adults

BACKGROUND

Adherence to treatment is a complex and poorly understood phenomenon. This study investigates the relationship between older depressed patients' adherence to antidepressants and their beliefs about and knowledge of the medication.

METHODS

Assessment was undertaken of 108 outpatients over the age of 55 years diagnosed with depressive disorder and treated for at least four weeks with antidepressants. Adherence was assessed using two self-report measures: the Medication Adherence Rating Scale (MARS) and a Global Adherence Measure (GAM). Potential predictors of adherence investigated included sociodemographic, medication and illness variables. In addition, 33 carers were interviewed regarding general medication beliefs.

RESULTS

56% of patients reported 80% or higher adherence on the GAM. Sociodemographic variables were not associated with adherence on the MARS. Specific beliefs about medicines, such as "my health depends on antidepressants" (necessity) and being less worried about becoming dependant on antidepressants (concern) were highly correlated with adherence. General beliefs about medicines causing harm or being overprescribed, experiencing medication side-effects and severity of depression also correlated with poor adherence. Linear regression with the MARS as the dependent variable explained 44.3% of the variance and showed adherence to be higher in subjects with healthy specific beliefs who received more information about antidepressants and worse with depression severity and autonomic side-effects.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings strongly support a role for specific beliefs about medicines in adherence. Challenging patients' beliefs, providing information about treatment and discussing side-effects could improve adherence. Poor response to treatment and medication side-effects can indicate poor adherence and should be considered before switching medications.

Factors associated with antidepressant adherence for Medicaid-enrolled children and adolescents

BACKGROUND

Antidepressants have been shown to be efficacious for the treatment of pediatric depression. However, many youths do not receive an adequate duration of treatment, and factors associated with nonadherence in this population remain poorly understood.

OBJECTIVE

To examine rates of antidepressant adherence for depressed youth and identify factors associated with adherence during the acute and continuation phases of treatment.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted using claims data from a state Medicaid-enrolled population of 1650 youths (aged 5-17 years) with new episodes of depression between January 1, 2005, and December 30, 2007. These patients were treated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or newer antidepressants and followed for 6 months from the first prescription fill date. Adherence measures were derived from the Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set (HEDIS) quality indicators on antidepressant management (3 months of continuous treatment for the acute phase and 6 months for the continuation phase) and assessed using the medication possession ratio. Multivariate logistic regression analyses evaluated the association between demographic, clinical, medication, and treatment factors, and adherence.

RESULTS

About half (49.5%) of the youths were adherent to antidepressant medication during the acute phase, and 42% of these were adherent during the continuation phase; 21% were adherent across both treatment phases. Optimal follow-up visits and adequate antidepressant dosing was associated with better adherence during both treatment phases, as was use of other psychotropic medications. Youths prescribed trazodone for sleep had higher adherence rates during the acute phase. Minority youths and adolescents had lower adherence rates during the acute phase. Youths in foster care had higher adherence rates during both treatment phases.

CONCLUSIONS

Nonadherence with antidepressant medications is common among Medicaid-covered children and adolescents. Study findings underscore the need for clinicians to deliver guideline-concordant care, assess adherence, and develop interventions that improve adherence, particularly for vulnerable subgroups.

Reconceptualizing medication adherence: six phases of dynamic adherence

Nonadherence is the Achilles' heel of effective psychiatric treatment. It affects the resolution of mental health symptoms and interferes with the assessment of treatment response. The meaning of the term adherence has evolved over time and is now associated with a variety of definitions and measurement methods. The result has been a poorly operationalized and nonstandardized term that is often interpreted differently by providers and patients. Drawing extensively from the literature, this article aims to (1) describe changes in the concept of adherence, drawing from the mental health treatment literature, (2) present a more comprehensive definition of adherence that recognizes the role of patient-provider transactions, (3) introduce dynamic adherence, a six-phase model, which incorporates the role of transactional processes and other factors that influence patients' adherence decisions, and (4) provide recommendations for providers to improve adherence as well as their relationships with patients.

Guideline-concordant antidepressant use among patients with major depressive disorder

OBJECTIVES

To examine whether prescriber specialty and guideline-concordant follow-up visits were associated with antidepressant treatment completion among patients with major depressive disorder (MDD).

METHODS

This study analyzed medical and prescription claims from a large national health plan. Patients were grouped based on initial prescriber specialty. Receipt of guideline-concordant follow-ups was defined as having > or =3 visits during the treatment phase. Completion of acute phase (first 90 days) and continuation phase (Days 91-270) was defined by adherence > or = 80% without significant gaps in treatment. Logistic regressions were used to examine factors associated with treatment completion.

RESULTS

Forty-seven percent of the 4102 newly diagnosed patients completed the acute phase, 45% of whom also completed the continuation phase. Among those initially prescribed by primary care providers (PCPs), patients with guideline-concordant follow-ups were more likely (13.1 percentage points, P<.0001) to complete acute phase than patients without guideline-concordant follow-ups. Receipt of guideline-concordant follow-ups increased the probability of acute phase completion by an additional 6.8 percentage points if initially treated by psychiatrists. Patients prescribed by psychiatrists were less likely to complete acute phase treatment (-4.6 percentage points, P=.04) if they did not have guideline-concordant follow-ups.

CONCLUSION

A large gap remains between guideline recommendations and actual antidepressant treatment. Frequent follow-up corresponds with better antidepressant adherence.

Agomelatine in the treatment of major depressive disorder: potential for clinical effectiveness

To demonstrate the clinical effectiveness of an antidepressant drug requires evidence beyond short- and long-term efficacy, including a favourable adverse-effect profile and sustained treatment adherence. Under these conditions, patients should experience enhanced social and functional outcomes. The novel antidepressant agomelatine, a melatonergic MT(1)/MT(2) receptor agonist with serotonin 5-HT(2C) receptor antagonist activity, displays antidepressant efficacy with a favourable adverse-effect profile that is associated with good patient adherence. Specifically, agomelatine has demonstrated significant short-term (6-8 weeks) and sustained (6 months) antidepressant efficacy relative to placebo, as well as evidence of relapse prevention (up to 10 months). In head-to-head comparative studies with venlafaxine and sertraline, there was evidence of early (at 1-2 weeks) and sustained (at 6 months) advantages for agomelatine. In addition to evidence of early efficacy, agomelatine also restored disturbed sleep-wake patterns early in treatment. There was no evidence of antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction, weight gain or discontinuation-emergent symptoms. Agomelatine has demonstrated a range of properties that suggest it could offer advantages over current treatments for major depressive disorder, although further comparative trials are still required, as is evidence from real-world clinical practice.

Antidepressant adherence after psychiatric hospitalization among VA patients with depression

Depressed patients discharged from psychiatric hospitalizations face increased risks for adverse outcomes including suicide, yet antidepressant adherence rates during this high-risk period are unknown. Using Veterans Affairs (VA) data, we assessed antidepressant adherence and predictors of poor adherence among depressed veterans following psychiatric hospitalization. We identified VA patients nationwide with depressive disorders who had a psychiatric hospitalization between April 1, 1999 and September 30, 2003, received antidepressant medication, and had an outpatient appointment following discharge. We calculated medication possession ratios (MPRs), a measure of medication adherence, within 3 and 6 months following discharge. We assessed patient factors associated with having lower levels of adherence (MPRs < 0.8) after discharge. The criteria for 3- and 6-month MPRs were met by 20,931 and 23,182 patients respectively. The mean 3 month MPR was 0.79 (SD = 0.37). The mean 6 month MPR was 0.66 (SD = 0.40). Patients with poorer adherence were male, younger, non-white, and had a substance abuse disorder, but were less likely to have PTSD or other anxiety disorders. Poor antidepressant adherence is common among depressed patients after psychiatric hospitalization. Efforts to improve adherence at this time may be critical in improving the outcomes of these high-risk patients.

Regimen complexity and medication nonadherence in elderly patients

Objective:

To assess whether the number of daily administrations of individual drugs, as a measure of regimen complexity, contributes to the profile of an elderly patient who adheres poorly to the prescribed therapy.

Population:

Six hundred ninety patients over 64 years who were consecutively admitted to 11 acute medical care and three long term/rehabilitation wards in Italy.

Main outcome measure:

Self-reported adherence to drugs taken at home before admission was measured by a single question assessment for each listed drug supplemented with a latter question about the circumstances of the missed administration. For cognitively impaired patients the question was put to patients’ relatives or caregivers.

Methods:

A structured multidimensional assessment was performed to identify nonadherence and its potential correlates. Correlates of nonadherence were identified by multivariable logistic regression.

Results:

We recorded 44 cases (6.4%) of nonadherence to at least one drug. Being assisted by foreign caregivers (OR 2.17; 95% CI 1.02–4.63) and the use of at least one multiple daily dosing drug (OR 2.99; 95% CI 1.24–7.17) were significant independent correlates of medication nonadherence, while age, selected indexes of frailty and the cumulative number of prescribed drugs were not.

Conclusion:

Regimen complexity and type of assistance are independent correlates of medication nonadherence.

Risk profiles for non-adherence to antipsychotic medications

Poor adherence to medications is common in individuals with schizophrenia, and can lead to relapse and re-hospitalization. This paper presents the findings of an Australian study of the factors affecting antipsychotic medication taking in individuals with schizophrenia. The Factors Influencing Neuroleptic Medication Taking Scale was used with a non-probability sample of mental health service users. Ethics approval was obtained from a university and a hospital ethics committee. Data were analysed using spss version 15. Most participants had insight into their illness and were aware of the stigma of mental illness. Around 70% experienced annoying side effects, while nearly half admitted alcohol consumption. About one-fifth admitted they had missed taking medications during the previous week. Significant others played a variable role in medication taking. Over 80% were satisfied with their relationships with health professionals, but were less satisfied with access to these professionals, especially psychiatrists. Logistic regression analysis showed that age, impact of medication side effects, and access to psychiatrists were independent predictors of medication omission. It is argued that medication taking is a complex issue, which needs to be taken into consideration in health professional training and measures to promote adherence.

Antidepressant prescription and suicide rates: effect of age and gender

To determine whether the effect of antidepressant exposure on suicide rate is modified by age and gender in Hungary, annual antidepressant prescription rates and suicide rates of about 10 million inhabitants between 1999-2005 were analyzed by age and gender groups. The suicide rate was inversely related to the increased use of antidepressants in both genders. The strongest association was found in the oldest age groups, where the increase in antidepressant use was highest, while there was no association in the under 20 or 50-69 age groups in either gender. Antidepressant prescription rate was related to suicide rate after controlling for divorce rate or unemployment rate, but not after controlling for alcohol consumption rate.