Factors associated with non-use of antipsychotics among older residents with schizophrenia in long-term institutional care

✍ Scribed by Hanna-Mari Alanen; Harriet Finne-Soveri; Esa Leinonen

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2008
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 60 KB
• Volume: 23
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0885-6230
• DOI: 10.1002/gps.2060

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Objective

To investigate factors associated with non‐use of antipsychotics among older schizophrenia residents in long‐term institutional care.

Design

A retrospective study was designed using cross‐sectional data gathered between 1 January and 30 June 2006 in Finland. Data were extracted from the Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) database, based on Minimum Data Set for long‐term care facilities (MDS‐LC) assessments.

Participants

Residents with schizophrenia 65 years or older were included, giving a total of 356 patient assessments.

Results

The prevalence of older schizophrenia residents not receiving any antipsychotic medication was 18.5%. Factors independently associated with non‐use of antipsychotics in the logistic regression model were: severe degree of functional impairment, severely impaired vision, any diagnosis of dementia and severe underweight. There was a negative association between non‐use of antipsychotics and a factor ‘had arrived from a psychiatric hospital’.

Conclusions

Severe degree of functional impairment and dementia were the main findings associated with non‐use of antipsychotics in this resident group. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.