The knowledge of inpatients with schizophrenia on their medication at hospital discharge

Purpose - To examine the knowledge of schizophrenic inpatients regarding their medication. Methods - Fifty male and 50 female patients with schizophrenia were interviewed before discharge from the University Psychiatric Hospital in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Socio-demographic and clinical data were collected and the Global Assessment Scale (GAS) was used. Patients were asked to give the name, purpose and adverse effects of their prescribed drugs. Results - The mean age of the patients was 40.0 years and they had, on average, 6.9 admissions. Their mean GAS score was 58.5, indicating moderately impaired everyday functioning. The majority of patients were prescribed two to four psychotropic drugs. Most patients (87.0%) could name the antipsychotic, 77.0% knew the purpose of their medication and 65.0% knew its side-effects. The same was true for the name (90.3%) and purpose (77.0%) of the anticholinergic, but its side-effects were less well known (28.9%). The name of the hypnotic was known to 76.5% patients, the purpose to 90.6% and its side-effects to 34.4%. Only 58% of patients had ever requested information on their medication. The majority of patients received information from package inserts (35%) or from psychiatrists (29%). Most patients (55%) were satisfied with the information. Conclusions - The information on medication among patients is insufficient. Clinicians should regularly offer and repeat relevant information. Copyright (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.