Would I take antipsychotics, if I had psychotic symptoms? Examining determinants of the decision to take antipsychotics

TY - JOUR

T1 - Would I take antipsychotics, if I had psychotic symptoms? Examining determinants of the decision to take antipsychotics

AU - Berna, Fabrice

AU - Göritz, Anja S

AU - Llorca, Pierre-Michel

AU - Vidailhet, Pierre

AU - Fond, Guillaume

AU - Moritz, Steffen

N1 - Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

PY - 2017/7/3

Y1 - 2017/7/3

N2 - Poor adherence to treatment in schizophrenia is mainly associated to patients-related factors. However, social negative representations of schizophrenia and its treatment may also contribute to patients' decision to take or not to take antipsychotics. A web-based study on 1,807 participants was conducted during which participants imagined that they had a particular chronic illness based on clinical vignettes (mental illnesses: schizophrenia, depression; somatic illnesses: multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis). Participants rated their subjective distress and perceived social stigma associated with each illness. They also rated the perceived treatability of the illness, their belief in the effectiveness of treatment, and their treatment preference regarding medication. Results show that schizophrenia was considered more distressful, less treatable and associated with higher social stigma than somatic illnesses. Medication was less preferred for treating schizophrenia compared to somatic illnesses. Perceived treatability of illness and belief in the effectiveness of pharmacological treatment were the factors driving preference for medication in schizophrenia and depression, respectively; these factors had weaker influence on preference for medication in somatic illnesses. Our study points out more severe negative representations of mental illnesses in general, and their treatment, particularly schizophrenia. These attitudes are not confined to patients, and may influence patients' decisions to take psychotropic drugs.

AB - Poor adherence to treatment in schizophrenia is mainly associated to patients-related factors. However, social negative representations of schizophrenia and its treatment may also contribute to patients' decision to take or not to take antipsychotics. A web-based study on 1,807 participants was conducted during which participants imagined that they had a particular chronic illness based on clinical vignettes (mental illnesses: schizophrenia, depression; somatic illnesses: multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis). Participants rated their subjective distress and perceived social stigma associated with each illness. They also rated the perceived treatability of the illness, their belief in the effectiveness of treatment, and their treatment preference regarding medication. Results show that schizophrenia was considered more distressful, less treatable and associated with higher social stigma than somatic illnesses. Medication was less preferred for treating schizophrenia compared to somatic illnesses. Perceived treatability of illness and belief in the effectiveness of pharmacological treatment were the factors driving preference for medication in schizophrenia and depression, respectively; these factors had weaker influence on preference for medication in somatic illnesses. Our study points out more severe negative representations of mental illnesses in general, and their treatment, particularly schizophrenia. These attitudes are not confined to patients, and may influence patients' decisions to take psychotropic drugs.

KW - Journal Article

U2 - 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2017.03.015

DO - 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2017.03.015

M3 - SCORING: Journal article

C2 - 28342943

VL - 77

SP - 155

EP - 163

JO - PROG NEURO-PSYCHOPH

JF - PROG NEURO-PSYCHOPH

SN - 0278-5846

ER -