Abstract Aim and Background: Applying evidence-based treatment guidelines to improve the quality of care for patients with schizophrenia has been increased worldwide. In this study, we evaluated the adherence of clinicians to the guideline for patients with schizophrenia who were admitted to a university hospital in their first episode of disease. Methods and Materials: In a descriptive study, treatments of all patients who were admitted to Nour hospital between 2005 to 2010 and diagnosed with schizophrenia in the first episode gathered. The implemented treatments compared with the American Psychiatric Association guideline for treatment of schizophrenia. Findings: Of total 113 patients with mean age of 28.91±8.79, 38 patients (33.6 percent) have been taken the adequate first line medications based on the APA guideline. In the all stages of the treatment, 45.24 percent of the patients have been taken medications with adherence to the guideline. Types of the drugs and duration of treatment in each stage were adhered to the guideline in 79.6 percent and 87.74 percent of the patients respectively. Conclusions: Adherence to the approved guideline was not acceptable. The most important finding was selection of the type of drug in the first stage, which was not compatible with the guideline. The high rate of polypharmacy was suggested the second fault of the treatment in this population.

Keywords: First Episode Schizophrenia, EBM-guidelines, Adherence of Treatment

Full-Text [PDF 249 kb]   (869 Downloads)