Medication knowledge in psychiatric day hospital patients: The role of polypharmacy
Lina Sophia Queck, Johannes Heck, Olaf Krause, Martin Klietz, Franziska Kümpers, Ricarda-Katharina Vagi, Adrian Groh, Martin Schulze Westhoff, Sebastian SchröderBackground
Adequate medication knowledge of patients is critical for medication safety, particularly among psychiatric patients exposed to complex pharmacotherapy. However, data on patients treated in psychiatric day hospital settings are limited.
Objectives
This study aimed to assess medication knowledge and identify factors associated with knowledge gaps in this population.
Design
Cross-sectional observational study.
Methods
A total of 101 patients from a psychiatric day hospital were included. Medication knowledge was assessed using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire covering drug name, indication, dosage and administration schedule (possible score range: 0–6). Group differences and associations were analysed using Mann–Whitney U tests, Kruskal–Wallis tests and Spearman correlations.
Results
The median medication knowledge score was 4.3 (interquartile range (IQR) 3.0–5.8). A moderate negative correlation was observed between the number of medications taken and knowledge (ρ = −0.404, p < 0.001). Knowledge was not associated with sex (p = 0.29) or age (ρ = −0.093, p = 0.353). Knowledge differed significantly across drug classes (p < 0.001), being highest for nervous system drugs. Discrepancies between prescribed and reported medication were frequent, with 29 patients reporting 44 additional undocumented medications. The internet (31.7%) and medical specialists (30.7%) were the most reported sources of medication-related information.
Conclusion
Medication knowledge among psychiatric day hospital patients varied considerably and was lower among patients receiving a higher number of medications. Frequent discrepancies between documented and patient-reported medication use were observed, indicating a potential risk for unsafe medication use. In addition, insufficient medication knowledge may represent a clinically relevant risk factor for medication-related problems. Targeted, patient-centred education strategies should be prioritized to improve medication safety in this setting.