Abstract
Objectives:
Gaining insight into patients' preferences for long-acting injectable
(LAI) antipsychotics could aid in mitigating potential barriers to the utilization of
LAI in patients with schizophrenia.
Methodology:
A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among
schizophrenic patients in Saudi Arabia between June 2023 and October 2023. An
analysis was conducted on the responses obtained from the Medication Preference
Questionnaire.
Results: There was a subtle trend toward favouring oral antipsychotics over LAIs.
Patients on oral antipsychotics commonly favoured the following outcomes: "I don't
have to worry about taking medicines" (77%), "I can get back to my favourite
activity" (71%), and "I feel symptoms will not come back" (65%). Most patients
favoured gluteal injections over deltoid injections for the following reasons: easier
use (90%), improved symptom relief (73%), lesser side effects (73%), and reduced
pain (73%). Overall, 65% of patients favoured the dose once per month as opposed
to three times per month (18%) or daily (17%). The common reasons cited by
patients who favoured a 1-monthly dose were "less medication-related conflict"
(97%) and "dislike to taking too much medication at once (93%)."
Conclusion:
This study unveiled the presence of a subtle differentiation between
LAI antipsychotics and oral antipsychotics in terms of their relative desirability,
with a slight inclination toward an increased preference for oral medications.
Patients with schizophrenia favoured the gluteal injection over the deltoid injection
on account of its greater ease of use, efficacy in symptom relief, absence of adverse
effects, and reduced discomfort. Furthermore, patients exhibited a greater
inclination towards monthly LAI in comparison to 3-monthly LAI and oral pill
antipsychotics.
Gaining insight into patients' preferences for long-acting injectable
(LAI) antipsychotics could aid in mitigating potential barriers to the utilization of
LAI in patients with schizophrenia.
Methodology:
A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among
schizophrenic patients in Saudi Arabia between June 2023 and October 2023. An
analysis was conducted on the responses obtained from the Medication Preference
Questionnaire.
Results: There was a subtle trend toward favouring oral antipsychotics over LAIs.
Patients on oral antipsychotics commonly favoured the following outcomes: "I don't
have to worry about taking medicines" (77%), "I can get back to my favourite
activity" (71%), and "I feel symptoms will not come back" (65%). Most patients
favoured gluteal injections over deltoid injections for the following reasons: easier
use (90%), improved symptom relief (73%), lesser side effects (73%), and reduced
pain (73%). Overall, 65% of patients favoured the dose once per month as opposed
to three times per month (18%) or daily (17%). The common reasons cited by
patients who favoured a 1-monthly dose were "less medication-related conflict"
(97%) and "dislike to taking too much medication at once (93%)."
Conclusion:
This study unveiled the presence of a subtle differentiation between
LAI antipsychotics and oral antipsychotics in terms of their relative desirability,
with a slight inclination toward an increased preference for oral medications.
Patients with schizophrenia favoured the gluteal injection over the deltoid injection
on account of its greater ease of use, efficacy in symptom relief, absence of adverse
effects, and reduced discomfort. Furthermore, patients exhibited a greater
inclination towards monthly LAI in comparison to 3-monthly LAI and oral pill
antipsychotics.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 5-15 |
Number of pages | 11 |
Journal | Journal of Medicine and Health Studies |
Volume | 3 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 30 Jun 2024 |
Externally published | Yes |