Telenursing intervention increases psychiatric medication adherence in schizophrenia outpatients.

BACKGROUND: Promoting medication adherence is a critical issue in optimizing both physical and mental health in persons with schizophrenia. Average antipsychotic medication adherence is only 50%; few studies have examined nonpsychiatric medication adherence. Psychosocial interventions with components of problem solving and motivation have shown promise in improving adherence behaviors. OBJECTIVES:This study examines telephone intervention problem solving (TIPS) for outpatients with schizophrenia. TIPS is a weekly, provider-initiated, proactive telenursing intervention designed to help persons with schizophrenia respond to a variety of problems, including adherence problems. STUDY DESIGN : The authors completed objective measures of adherence to psychiatric and nonpsychiatric medications in 29 community-dwelling persons with schizophrenia, monthly for 3 months.STUDY RESULTS : Persons receiving TIPS had significantly higher objective adherence to psychiatric medications throughout the study period, F(1, 20)...