BACKGROUND: Previous research highlights that, over a 2-year period, up to 50% of individuals receiving @entity1091 prophylaxis are non-adherent with medication against medical advice. The main reasons identified by clinicians only partially reflect the reasons given by @entity1 . METHODS: Seventy-two subjects who were identified from biochemistry laboratory data as receiving @entity1091 for an @entity1316 and who gave written informed consent, completed the 'Reasons for Stopping Medication' questionnaire. Forty-one clinicians involved in treating these 72 @entity1 also completed the same questionnaire. Ratings on the 'Reasons for Stopping Medication' questionnaire were compared between adherent and non-adherent @entity1 and between @entity1 and their clinicians. RESULTS: Adherent (n=39) and previously non-adherent @entity1 (n=33) showed a high level of concordance in their rank ordering of reasons for considering stopping taking @entity1091 (Kendall's W=0.059; P=0.001), with 'bothered by the idea that moods were controlled by medication', 'bothered by the idea of a @entity102 ' and 'felt depressed' being the most commonly endorsed items. Clinicians and @entity1 views showed low levels of concordance (Kendall's W=0.019; P=0.32). Clinicians identified 'missing highs', and 'felt well, saw no need to take medication' as the most likely reasons for non-adherence. The differences in the primary reasons for stopping @entity1091 identified by clinicians and @entity1 were statistically significant (chi(2)=61.1; df 40, P=0.005). CONCLUSIONS: @entity1 ' reasons for stopping @entity1091 appear to be influenced by concerns about what having an @entity1316 and taking medication says about them. Clinicians are not fully aware of the main reasons @entity1 would stop prophylactic treatment.

Do clinicians understand why individuals stop taking XXXX ?

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['Patients', 'patients'] @entity1091 :: ('MESH:D008094', 'Chemical') :: ['lithium'] @entity1316 :: ('MESH:D019964', 'Disease') :: ['affective disorder'] @entity102 :: ('MESH:D002908', 'Disease') :: ['chronic illness']
@entity1091 :: (MESH:D008094,Chemical) :: ['lithium']
