Determinants of anti-psychotic medication compliance in a multicultural population

The efficacy of medication in controlling or ameliorating symptoms of psych otic conditions is well established in clinical trials, but medication effe ctiveness in mental health services is considerably affected by the extent to which clients actually comply to their prescribed medication. This study aimed to assess the relative influence of demographic, medication, social support and relationship variables on perceived compliance with medication in a sample of clients with serious mental illness from diverse ethnic back grounds. It also aimed to explore whether compliance differed by matching c lients with a case manager from the same ethno-linguistic background. Data on medication compliance, administration route, medication dose, sex, age, impairment of thought processes, mood abnormality, ability to manage money, acceptance of illness (insight), social network size, alcohol and drug use , impulse control, and cooperation with staff were provided by case manager s for 168 clients from diverse ethnic backgrounds. Multiple regression anal ysis was used to examine the predictors of medication compliance. The main predictors of greater compliance were greater general cooperation with staf f, better insight, and matching clients with a case manager from the same e thnic background.