|
| 
|
 |
 |
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
142,740 registered members
|
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Schizophrenia - little treatment choice
[Posted: Tue 25/07/2006 - www.irishhealth.com]
By Deborah Condon
At least half of people with schizophrenia are given no choice when it comes to the treatment they receive and the medication they are prescribed, new research has shown.
Furthermore, while a significant number of people with schizophrenia will try to stop their medication or reduce it at some point, few are offered any help in doing so.
The research was conducted by UCD's Centre for Disability Studies on behalf of Schizophrenia Ireland (SI). The findings are contained in a new document - Talking About Choice.
Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness characterised by disturbances in a person's thoughts, perceptions, emotions and behaviour. It affects around one in every 100 people worldwide and first onset usually occurs in adolescence or early adulthood, although it can also occur later in life.
The research involved a survey of service users and looked at issues such as compliance with medication and the availability of alternative treatments.
The survey found that:
-53% were given no choice in relation to medication.
-52% were given no choice in their mental health treatment generally.
-44% had tried to stop or reduce their medication at some point in their treatment, however just 18% were offered help in doing so.
-48% said alternative treatments were never discussed with them.
-28% found that side-effects had a high impact on their day-to-day life.
The survey also found that almost two in three people who had come off their medication had experienced an 'overall negative outcome'. However around 80% of those offered the opportunity to talk, through group or peer support, took up the offer.
According to SI chairman, John Saunders, when compared with research carried out by the organisation in 2002, these new findings show that some things have not changed in the area of mental health.
"It is clear from the analysis of both results that many of the issues for service users apparent in 2002, still exist in 2006. This is particularly true in relation to the poor quality of information offered between service provider and service user, the issue of medication compliance and the scarcity of treatments other than medication to assist recovery", Mr Saunders said.
Talking About Choice was launched to coincide with the organisation's national schizophrenia awareness week, Lucia Week. For more information on schizophrenia, contact the SI helpline at 1890 621 631.
|
Hilda Posted:
01/08/2006 12:40 |
| It would be interesting to know what other alternatives there are, since most who stopped taking medication reported adverse effects? What alternatives can Mr Saunders suggest? It is unfair to imply that there are other treatments available which are being denied to patients for some mysterious reason. |
| To join the discussion, register by clicking here |
|
QUICK LINKS: asthma | arthritis | psoriasis | crohn's | heart | epilepsy | eczema | osteoporosis | pregnancy | depression | alzheimer | cancer | sex | anxiety | overweight |
 |
About Irishhealth.com | Privacy Policy | Contact us | Why Register? | Make this your home page | Site Map |  |
| Copyright © 2010. All rights reserved. We subscribe to the principles of the Health On the Net Foundation |
