Religious Beliefs and Their Relevance for Treatment Adherence in Mental Illness: A Review

Abstract

Approximately 50% of patients do not adhere to medical therapy. Religious and spiritual factors may play an important role in determining medication compliance in mental illness. The aim of this paper is to review published evidence documenting a relationship between religion/spirituality (R/S) and treatment adherence in mental illness, in particular in schizophrenia, depression and substance abuse. This review summarizes, categorizes and defines the role of religious beliefs as a factor improving medication compliance in mental illness. Randomized controlled trials and observational studies were eligible for the review if they were published in December 2015 or earlier, analyzed the effects of religious beliefs or spirituality on medication compliance, or adherence to other therapeutic interventions in mental illness. The vast majority of published studies analyzed the effects of religion on medication compliance in schizophrenia and addiction. In schizophrenia patients, religious beliefs turned out to be a predictor of worse treatment adherence. However, spiritual orientation was shown to play an important role in the recovery from addiction, and to improve adherence in patients with this condition. Furthermore, better treatment adherence was observed in more religious patients diagnosed with depression. While religious beliefs and spirituality may represent an important source of hope and meaning, they often interfere with treatment adherence. Therefore, psychiatrists should consider religious and spiritual beliefs of their patients, and verify if and to what extent they improve their medication compliance.

Attitude towards Mental Help-Seeking, Motivation, and Economic Resources in Connection with Positive, Negative, and General Psychopathological Symptoms of Schizophrenia: A Pilot Study of a Psychoeducation Program

“…So having a psychiatric patient in a family adds burden on the family’s already degraded resources (Millan et al, 2014). On the other side, patients with high income resources can avail better treatment opportunities; they can afford better practitioners, bear medication expenses and may have life without extreme debt burdens (Zagozdzon et al, 2017). Moreover, patients with high income status usually approach practitioner on right time because they have no issue of affordability while patients with low-income resources prefer local cheap remedies, quack practitioners, and faith healers to manage the symptoms, thus this delay adversely effects their symptoms severity.…”

The Relation between Psychotic Patients' Strength of Religious Faith and Adherence to Medication

“…Some patients perhaps think through treatment adherence as a rebellion to religious principles. These beliefs may be discussed by patients, and their family members, affecting their outlooks to prescribed medication (Zago˙zd˙zon & Wrotkowska, 2017).…”

“…Nevertheless, many individuals remain to exhibit the adverse biopsychosocial consequences of their disorder owing to non-adherence to suggested medication regimen (Eticha et al, 2015). Although deficiency of medication adherence may be perceived in basically wholly chronic disorders, it is chiefly inspiring in mental illnesses (Zago˙zd˙zon & Wrotkowska, 2017). Non-adherence to prescribed antipsychotic medication can precipitate dire consequences, compromises the efficiency of accessible treatments, worsen psychiatric symptoms and social functioning, accompanying with increased personal distress, an increased risk of relapse, greater danger of recurrence, and lower recovery rates, so upsetting the quality of life of patients and families.…”

Patients’ Perspectives About the Treatment They Receive for Cardiovascular Diseases and Mental Disorders: Web-Based Survey Study

“…Appropriate therapy management, including medication adherence, is critical for effective disease management and for improving patients’ overall quality of life [ 7 , 8 ]. However, approximately 30%-50% of patients with an NCD do not comply with disease prevention and management activities [ 9 , 10 ] such as following treatment as prescribed by a physician, staying up-to-date with medical appointments, engaging in regular physical activity, and making necessary dietary changes [ 7 , 11 ]. Medication adherence is defined as the extent to which patients take medications as prescribed in agreement with their health care provider [ 12 ].…”