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Formal guidelines including a pill box improved medication adherence for patients with chronic mental illness

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Question Can specific, multicomponent guidelines including a compartmentalised pill box given to patients with mental illness, alone or in the presence of a family member, increase the proportion of patients who comply with their medications?

Design

Randomised controlled trial with 2 months follow up.

Setting

An outpatient mental health clinic in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA.

Patients

49 patients were assessed and 39 completed the study (mean age 38.5 y, 59% women, 64% white). Inclusion criteria were chronic mental illness; current use of psychotropic oral medications; ≥18 years of age; normal intelligence; living with an adult family member; primary diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar I disorder, or major depressive disorder; and not currently abusing alcohol or controlled substances …

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Footnotes

  • Source of funding: no external funding except donated pill contatiners.

  • For correspondence: Dr N H Azrin, Center for Psychological Studies, Nova Southeastern University, 3301 College Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314, USA. Fax +1 954 262 3848.