Symptom improvement can be difficult to maintain when doses are missed1
Long-term treatment adherence remains a challenge
67% of patients who managed their schizophrenia with pills were nonadherent or stopped treatment 12 months after initiation.3
In a retrospective analysis of US insurance claims (2007–2013), only 33% of adults with schizophrenia newly prescribed oral atypical antipsychotics were adherent (portion of days covered ≥80%) over 12 months; multiple discontinuation patterns were observed.3
Missed doses can lead to negative treatment response and relapse
Nonadherence to antipsychotics can make it difficult to sustain long-term symptom control, increasing the risk of illness severity and the chance of relapse.1
Many people living with schizophrenia share similar goals as everyone else, such as4:
Stable
housing
Strong
relationships
Career
success
Fulfillment,
optimism, stability
References: 1. Zacker C, Puckett JT, Kamal-Bahl S. Real-world adherence and discontinuation of oral antipsychotics and associated factors in a national sample of US Medicare beneficiaries with schizophrenia. Clinicoecon Outcomes Res. 2024;16:567-579. 2. Brasso C, Beoni AM, Colli G, Mariani GN, Rocca P. Use of long-acting injectable antipsychotics in an acute inpatient psychiatric unit and 90-day re-hospitalization rates: results of an observational prospective study. Ther Adv Psychopharmacol. 2025;15:20451253251367591. 3. MacEwan JP, Forma FM, Shafrin J, Hatch A, Lakdawalla DN, Lindenmayer J-P. Patterns of adherence to oral atypical antipsychotics among patients diagnosed with schizophrenia. J Manag Care Spec Pharm. 2016;22(11):1349-1361. 4. Bond GR, Drake RE. New directions for psychiatric rehabilitation in the USA. Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci. 2017;26(3):223-227.
