입원중인 만성 정신분열병 환자의 항정신병약물에 대한 개념 및 태도 조사

Attitudes and Concepts on the Antipsychotics of Hospitalized Chronic Schizophrenics

Using self-report questionaire composed of 30 pertinent items, the concept and attitude of the schizophrenics toward antipsychotic medication was investigated. The subjects were 188 chronic schizophrenic inpatients in Seoul National Mental Hospital during the time from Aug. 5 to aug. 12, 1985. The significant results were as follows. 1) 53.1% of the subjects responded as ’drug can help improve their illness’, but only 25.5% of them reported to take drug voluntarily. 2) Regarding to the greatest benefits of antipsychotics, ,to improve insomnia’ was the most popular response (38.7%). 3.) More than 80% of the subjects had some experiences of unwillingness to take drug’, which was mainly accounted by ’unpleasant side effects’ (41.5%), and 15.4% of the patients had actully one or more experiences of surreptitious evasion during the current hospitalization* 4) 45.8% of the subjects reported that antipsychotics might have habituation potential and 57.4% reported that drugs would have adverse effects on the body: 5) Only about a half of subjects accepted the necessity of drug-continuation ordered by doctor after discharge, and 40.6% of subjects responded that pharmacotherapy was better than other therapeutic modilities in the treatment of their illness. 6) It was reported that the most unpleasant side effect of antipsychotics was weakness, followed by akathisia and constipation. 7) Demographic variables (i.e. sex, education, duration of illness, number og previous admission) were compared in the two groups using x 2-test. The statistically significant results were as follows. (1) Three subitems, Le., even harmfuT (the concept on the value of antipsychotics), Recommended by family members’ (the attitude toward drug-taking), and faith cure, (the proposed treatment method better than pharmacotherapy) were to be rated higher in the low education group as compared with those in the high education group. (2) The high education group responded more to ‘doctor，from proposed main consultant in the decision of drug discontinuation than the low education group. (3) The rates of high，regarding to the concept of the habituation potential of antipsychotics were higher in the group of long (VS. Short) duration of illness and in the group of large (VS. Small) number of previous admission, contrasted to the findings that the higher rates of 1 to 3years’ over th concept of the required duration of drug continuation after discharge in the group of short (VS. long) duration of illness. (4) As to the proposed motivation of drug taking, in the case of drug continuation after discharge, rates of ‘to gain further improvement, were higher in the male patients than in the female ones.