Findings related to effectiveness ( treatment discontinuation , quality of life , and neurocognitive improvements ) were generally consistent with those observed in non-Chinese population s. No new safety signals specific for Chinese population s were raised for olanzapine .
Chinese and non-Chinese population s with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder treated with olanzapine display broadly similar responses .
BACKGROUND Despite the burden of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder in the Chinese population , country-specific data to guide practitioners regarding antipsychotic therapy are lacking .
Medication adherence and long-term functional outcomes in the treatment of schizophrenia in usual care.
BACKGROUND Relatively little is known about the relationships between medication adherence and long-term functional outcomes in the treatment of schizophrenia . To extend previous research , we prospect ively examined the relationships between adherence with any antipsychotic medication and functional outcomes among schizophrenia patients treated over a 3-year period , assessed the stability of adherence over time , and examined whether adherence in the first year predicts changes in functional outcomes over the following 2 years . METHOD Analyses included 1906 participants with DSM-IV diagnoses of schizophrenia or schizoaffective or schizophreniform disorder in a multi-site , 3-year , prospect i ve , naturalistic study conducted in the United States between July 1997 and September 2003 . Outcome measures were assessed at 6-month intervals using systematic medical record abstract ion and structured interview of patients . Adherence with antipsychotic regimen was assessed using patient-reported adherence and the medication possession ratio ( percent days with prescription for any antipsychotic ) , dichotomized into adherence and non-adherence . Analyses employed generalized estimating equations and mixed models with repeated measures . RESULTS Nonadherence was associated with poorer functional outcomes , including greater risks of psychiatric hospitalizations , use of emergency psychiatric services , arrests , violence , victimizations , poorer mental functioning , poorer life satisfaction , greater substance use , and more alcohol-related problems ( all p < .001 ) . Adherence was relatively stable , with 77.3 % of patients maintaining the same adherence status from the first year to the second year . Nonadherence in the first year predicted significantly poorer outcomes in the following 2 years . CONCLUSIONS Findings highlight the importance of adherence with antipsychotic medication in the long-term treatment of schizophrenia and its potential beneficial impact on the mental health and criminal justice delivery systems
Findings related to effectiveness ( treatment discontinuation , quality of life , and neurocognitive improvements ) were generally consistent with those observed in non-Chinese population s. No new safety signals specific for Chinese population s were raised for olanzapine .
Chinese and non-Chinese population s with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder treated with olanzapine display broadly similar responses .
BACKGROUND Despite the burden of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder in the Chinese population , country-specific data to guide practitioners regarding antipsychotic therapy are lacking .