Knowledge related to drug therapy among people with mental disorders

Abstract

Objective: to identify knowledge about drug therapy among those people with mental illness. Method: cross-sectional observational research carried out with 300 people undergoing treatment at Psychosocial Care Centers in Curitiba, Paraná. Data were collected through structured interviews and by consulting prescriptions for medications in medical records. A descriptive and inferential analysis was performed. Results: the majority of participants had insufficient knowledge regarding the name of the drugs (64%), dose (91.9%) and frequency of administration (82.6%). There was an association between insufficient knowledge regarding drug therapy and the use of drugs for comorbidities, ignorance about the diagnosis, depression, advanced age, self-administration of drugs, alcohol consumption and misunderstanding information provided by nurses or psychologists. Conclusions: it is underscored that self-administration of medications, depressive disorders and use of medications for other health conditions may be related to the level of insufficient knowledge regarding their drug therapy; thus representing obstacles to adherence of medications.

Keywords

• transtornos mentais
• prescrições de medicamentos
• conhecimento do paciente sobre a medicação
• serviços de saúde mental