Journal of Alzheimers Disease & Parkinsonism
Open Access

Abstract

The likelihood of sustaining effective control of schizophrenic symptoms depends largely on persistence in treatment. As with most chronic disorders, in the management of patients with first episode of schizophrenia, outcome is expected to be best if persistence with treatment in the first episode is good. A study of the persistence in treatment of patients with a first episode of schizophrenia and the factors associated will not only provide an estimate of the magnitude of the problem but will also help in providing strategies aimed at overcoming the barriers to treatment persistence. The aim of this study was to assess the persistence in treatment of patients with a first episode of schizophrenia in an African country (Nigeria). The study area was the Psychiatry Unit of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan. UCH is an 812 bed teaching hospital located in Ibadan, South-West Nigeria. Persistence, as measured by mean time to all-cause treatment default (in weeks) using Kaplan Meier technique was 17.80 weeks. Subjects with age of onset less than 40 years were three times more likely than those who were above 40 years to default from treatment. In conclusion poor persistence in treatment of patients with first episode of schizophrenia is common in Nigeria, this has the potential to cause considerable aggravation of the disorders well as increased costs and burden of illness.

Biography

Oluyomi Esan completed his post graduate training in psychiatry in 2007. He is the head of the Neuropsychiatry Unit at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. He has published more than 12 papers in reputed journals and serving as reviewer in some of the journals.