Investigation of medication treatment adherence among unipolar depression patients

• Grant number: 11/03002-9
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: June 01, 2011
• End date: May 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Nursing - Psychiatric Nursing
• Principal Investigator: Adriana Inocenti Miasso
• Grantee: Adriana Inocenti Miasso
• Host Institution: Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto (EERP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Antonia Regina Ferreira Furegato ; Luiz Jorge Pedrão

Abstract

Unipolar Depression is a chronic condition associated to high levels of functional incapacity, besides severe psychic and physical suffering that can lead to poor evolution of concomitant clinical diseases. The use of medication is generally necessary in the treatment of patients with Unipolar Depression. However, theory and practice are demonstrating that no problem is more frequent than the difficulty the patient has in following the treatment, which leads to a lack of disease control, to an increase in avoidable hospitalizations and to a high costs in health care. Thus, this study aims to verify the adherence of people with Unipolar Depression to medication therapy; to identify the possible causes of adherence and non-adherence and to identify the difficulties of group of these patients regarding the following of medication therapy. The sample will consist of all patients with Unipolar Depression that had a consultation in a Mental Health Service of a city in the interior of São Paulo state, Brazil, between January 1st and December 30th, 2011, and who meet the inclusion criteria for this study. Data will be collected using an interview with the Test for Measure of Adherence and an instrument elaborated by the researcher. Qualitative and quantitative approaches will be used for data analysis. Quantitative data will be organized as a spreadsheet using the Excel program and later, analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Science program (SPSS). Qualitative data analysis will be based on the steps proposed by Minayo (1999). This study will allow an improvement of implementation of intervention strategies in health services targeting the rational use of medication by people with Unipolar Depression as well as improving the quality of care provided to this population. (AU)