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- Title
Forgetfulness: a role in noncompliance with antidepressant treatment.
- Authors
Bulloch, Andrew G.; Adair, Carol E.; Patten, Scott B.
- Abstract
<bold>Objectives: </bold>To determine the degree of noncompliance with antidepressant treatment in the Alberta population and to investigate the reasons for noncompliance.<bold>Method: </bold>We used data from the Alberta Mental Health Survey, a telephone survey conducted in 2003 (n = 5323 adults), to produce population-based estimates of the frequency of noncompliance and the reported reasons for noncompliance.<bold>Results: </bold>Reported noncompliance was 41.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 36.9% to 46.6%) for respondents taking 1, 2, or 3 antidepressants. Noncompliance for those taking 1 antidepressant was 42.0% (95%CI, 36.9% to 47.2%), whereas noncompliance for those taking 2 or 3 antidepressants was 39.4% (95%CI, 26.7% to 53.6%). Among respondents currently taking at least one antidepressant, 64.9% (95%CI, 57.4% to 71.7%) reported that forgetfulness was the most common reason for noncompliance. Of respondents taking 1 medication, 64.1% (95%CI, 56.0% to 71.4%) reported forgetfulness as did 71.3% (95%CI, 48.3% to 86.8%) of those taking 2 or 3 medications. Both the frequency of noncompliance and the reported reasons for noncompliance were independent of sex and age.<bold>Conclusion: </bold>Our study replicates prior reports that indicate that noncompliance is common with antidepressant treatment. Forgetting to take medication is the most important reported reason for this noncompliance.
- Subjects
ALBERTA; ANTIDEPRESSANTS; MENTAL depression; THERAPEUTICS; HEALTH policy; MEDICAL care; MEDICAL research; MEMORY; PATIENT compliance; SURVEYS; TELEPHONES; CROSS-sectional method
- Publication
Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 2006, Vol 51, Issue 11, p719
- ISSN
0706-7437
- Publication type
journal article
- DOI
10.1177/070674370605101110