Psychotropic drug consumption and compliance

Objective To differentiate, over a 5-year period, non-compliant (NC) from compliant (C) consumers of psychotropic drugs according to their demographic caracteristics and views on: their faith in the prescriber, the effects of consumption, opinion of family and friends and information received. Method Among 166 consumers (mean age 55 yrs), two questions for each psychotropic drug consumed for 5 years classified them as NC or C. Data were collected by auto-assessments and telephone interviews. Results Thirty-nine percent of consumers were defined as NC. The majority of psychotropic drugs were prescribed by general practitioners, whose patients were less compliant than psychiatrist's patients. The NC were more inclined to feel positive effects after taking the drug and stated they could do without it. Ninety percent of consumers had a positive attitude to psychotropes and 40% spoke about their consumption to friends and family notably among the NC. Only 12% of consumers do not seek information on psychotropic drugs because they trusted their prescriber. Discussion Psychotropic drug consumers require therapeutic education better adapted to their expectations.