The attitude of healthcare providers towards medication self-management in hospitalized patients diagnosed with schizophrenia or bipolar disorders.

BACKGROUND: Medication self-management (MSM) is considered an important aspect of pharmacotherapy and plays an essential role in the treatment of various illnesses. To date, research into the willingness and attitude of psychiatric healthcare providers toward MSM in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia or bipolar disorders during hospitalization is lacking. AIM: The aim of this study was to identify healthcare providers' willingness to MSM and assess their attitude, conditions, benefits, and ability toward it during hospitalization. METHODS: A multicenter, quantitative cross-sectional observational design was used to study psychiatric healthcare providers' attitude to MSM during hospitalization in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia or bipolar disorders. RESULTS: In this study, 173 healthcare providers, of which 147 were nurses and 26 psychiatrists, participated. During hospitalization, 86% of the healthcare providers were willing to MSM. Regularly evaluating patients' ability regarding MSM during hospitalization was seen as an important condition (94%). Psychiatrists were significantly less convinced that MSM during hospitalization has a positive impact on adherence when compared to nurses (respectively 54% vs. 77%, p = .009). DISCUSSION: Most healthcare providers indicated that they were willing to MSM in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia or bipolar disorders during hospitalization under specific conditions.