Family support predicts psychiatric medication usage among Mexican American individuals with schizophrenia

Background. Support provided by family caregivers to persons with schizophrenia is a viable intervention focus to improve psychiatric medication usage. However, little is known about the relation between medication usage and family support as well as other key caregiving factors. Method. Family support and Expressed Emotion (EE) dimensions were tested as predictors of medication usage during a 9-month period following psychiatric hospital discharge in a sample of 30 individuals of Mexican descent with schizophrenia. Results. Family instrumental support predicted higher medication usage (Odds Ratio = 4.8) in multivariate analyses that statistically adjusted for the impact of emotional support, family EE, and psychiatric status (e.g., positive symptoms) on medication usage. Conclusions. Findings suggest that efforts to improve medication usage among Mexican American individuals with schizophrenia should take into account social supportive factors such as instrumental or directive, hands-on assistance from family caregivers.