Interventions for adherence

Research supports the effectiveness of numerous pharmacological and psychosocial interventions for helping individuals with serious mental illness reduce psychiatric symptoms and build more satisfying and productive lives. Treatment non-adherence, however, remains a major obstacle to recovery with between forty and sixty per cent of people with a severe mental illness failing to engage in aftercare treatment. Non-adherence is associated with more serious symptoms, suicidality, violent behaviour, functional limitations, higher relapse rates and hospital recidivism. A team of researchers from Chicago looked at 31 studies into interventions designed to prevent non-adherence to treatment. They found that assertive/intensive case management improved outpatient treatment retention and that behavioural therapy enhanced medication adherence.

Lehner, Renanah K. ... [et al] - Outpatient treatment adherence and serious mental illness : a review of interventions American Journal of Psychiatric Rehabilitation 10(4), 245-274