Adherence therapy intervention in early psychosis: effect on relapse rates
Adherence is a critical problem for patients with psychosis, as evidence clearly demonstrates that non-adherence to treatment is a major cause of relapse. Relapse in psychosis, defined as the re-emergence or exacerbation of psychotic symptoms, has well established damaging effects. In the short-term it often precipitates the need for distressing emergency treatment, and it results in poorer functional outcomes in the long-term.
A recent 2 year mirror study published in the international journal of mental health nursing (2012) showed that following Adherence Therapy intervention training with early intervention in Psychosis teams and subsequent application in practice with patients, there was a statistically significant reduction in relapse rate.
Adherence therapy intervention - Schizophrenia
In a multi-centred randomised control trial (accepted for publication in Schizophrenia research) adherence therapy intervention improved psychopathology (positive and negative symptoms) in patients recovering from an acute episode of schizophrenia compared to the treatment as usual group.
Adherence therapy intervention -Hypertension
In a randomised controlled study published in the Journal of Human Hypertension (2012), Adherence therapy intervention was shown to increase adherence to medication for patients with hypertension by 37%. This led to a clinically important reduction in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure from baseline (164/102 to 143/88) at 11 weeks.
Further and continuing research is being conducted in other therapy areas
For a copy of any of Professor Grays research please visit his academia website
