Attitudes toward psychopharmacology among hospitalized patients from diverse ethno-cultural backgrounds

Gabriel Thorens¹ , Marianne Gex-Fabry² , Daniele F Zullino¹ and Ariel Eytan³

¹Department of Psychiatry, Division of Substance Abuse, University Hospitals of Geneva, Switzerland

²Department of Psychiatry, Division of Adult Psychiatry, University Hospitals of Geneva, Switzerland

³Department of Psychiatry, Division of Penitentiary Psychiatry, University Hospitals of Geneva, Switzerland

author email corresponding author email

BMC Psychiatry 2008, 8:55doi:10.1186/1471-244X-8-55


Published:	9 July 2008

Abstract

Background

Biological factors influencing individual response to drugs are being extensively studied in psychiatry. Strikingly, there are few studies addressing social and cultural differences in attitudes toward psychotropic medications. The objective of this study was to investigate ethno-culturally determined beliefs, expectations and attitudes toward medication among a sample of hospitalized psychiatric patients.

Methods

An ad hoc questionnaire was designed to assess patients' expectations, attitudes and prejudice toward medication. The study included 100 adult patients hospitalized in Geneva, Switzerland.

Results

Patients were in majority male (63%), originated from Switzerland (54%) and spoke the local language fluently (93%). They took on the average 3 different psychotropic drugs. Sixty-eight percent of patients expected side effects and 60% were ready to stop medication because of them. Thirty percent of patients expected negative personal changes with treatment and 34% thought that their mental disorder could have been treated without drugs. Thirty six percent of the sample used alternative or complementary medicines. 35% of immigrant patients believed that medication had different effects on them than on local patients. When compared with Swiss patients, they more often reported that significant others had an opinion about medication (p = 0.041) and more frequently valued information provided by other patients about treatment (p = 0.010).

Conclusion

Patients' attitudes toward medication should be investigated in clinical practice, as specific expectations and prejudice exist. Targeted interventions, especially for immigrant patients, might improve adherence.