EFFECT OF INTERNALIZED STIGMAAND MENTAL WELLBEING ON ADHERENCE TO MEDICATION IN PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM PSYCHIATRIC ILLNESS IN A TERTIARY CARE CENTRE

Outcome of patients suffering from mental illness largely depends on their adherence to the medication which is very difcult to achieve. Amongst multiple factors, internalized stigma related to mental illness that they suffer, and their own personal wellbeing seems to play a major role in maintaining adherence to the medications. This study aims at studying the effect of these two factors on adherence to medication. Aim of the study is to study the level of medication adherence and its relationship with internalized stigma as well as mental well-being amongst follow up patients. After taking written informed consent and Institute Ethical Committee permission data collected from follow up patients on treatment since at least 2 months and attending the outpatient department of psychiatry in C. U. Shah Medical College and Hospital through Structured Proforma: Participant's Prole, Morisky Green Levine Scale (MGVS), Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Inventory (ISMI), Mental Health Inventory (MHI) was analyzed using SPSS version 16. Amongst 89 follow up patients, medication adherence was medium (67.5%) and low (32.5%) level and it had strong negative association with global scores of ISMI (χ2=7.6, γ=- 0.78, P</=0.05) and personal distress score of MHI (χ2=13.72, γ=- 0.63, P</=0.05). Medication adherence level had strong positive association with personal wellbeing score of MHI (χ2=8.36, γ=0.68, P</=0.05). It can be concluded that the measures that help in reducing internalized stigma levels and personal distress as well as those helping in increasing personal wellbeing level can help in improving the adherence to medications in patients suffering from mental illness.