Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-wq484 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-26T16:02:21.914Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Authors' reply

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Alex J. Mitchell
Affiliation:
University of Leicester, UK (email: ajm80@le.ac.uk)
Thomas Selmes
Affiliation:
York psychiatry scheme, UK
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Type
Correspondence
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 2008 

We agree with Beales that Pound et al (2005) is a valuable and comprehensive review. We have cited this article elsewhere (Reference MitchellMitchell, 2006, Reference Mitchell2007). It highlights widespread and understandable caution about taking medication and brings to light ‘the lay practice of testing medicines, mainly for adverse effects’. We recommend this paper for further reading.

We also agree with Kelbrick that it is important to have a good therapeutic relationship with detained patients. This area was underemphasised in our article. Owing to space restrictions we did not review compliance therapy in detail but good reviews are available elsewhere (Reference McDonald, Garg and HaynesMcDonald et al, 2002; Reference McIntosh, Conlon and LawrieMcIntosh et al, 2006; Reference Nadeem, McIntosh and LawrieNadeem et al, 2006).

Khokhar & Ali helpfully discuss cultural factors. We recently conducted a study on ethnic differences regarding treatment preferences (rather than adherence) in a cancer setting (Reference Roy, Symonds and KumarRoy et al, 2005). More Asian than ‘Caucasian’ patients wanted to receive critical information from their GP rather than a hospital doctor. This was linked with their level of distress. More Asian patients received ‘bad news’ alone. We are currently trying to find out whether this has an effect on illness outcomes.

References

McDonald, H. P., Garg, A. X. & Haynes, B. (2002) Interventions to enhance patient adherence to medication prescriptions. JAMA, 288, 28682879.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McIntosh, A. M., Conlon, L., Lawrie, S. M. et al (2006) Compliance therapy for schizophrenia. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, issue 3. Art. no. CD003442.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mitchell, A. J. (2006) High medication discontinuation rates in psychiatry – how often is it understandable? Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, 26, 109112.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mitchell, A. J. (2007) Hypothesis: adherence behaviour with psychotropic medication is a form of self-medication. Medical Hypothesis, 68, 1221.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Nadeem, Z., McIntosh, A. & Lawrie, S. (2006) Schizophrenia: adherence to antipsychotics. BMJ Clinical Evidence, http://clinicalevidence.bmj.com/ceweb/conditions/meh/meh.jsp (and follow link to Compliance therapy).Google Scholar
Roy, R., Symonds, R. P., Kumar, D. M. et al (2005) The use of denial in an ethnically diverse British cancer population. A cross-sectional study. British Journal of Cancer, 92, 13931397.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.