Adherencia al tratamiento de trastornos neuropsiquiátricos en pacientes de consulta externa en el Instituto de Neurociencias de Guayaquil, enero 2023 - abril 2024

Abstract

Introduction: Neuropsychiatric disorders are defined as conditions that alter an individual’s perception, thinking, mood, or behavior. Treatment adherence refers to the extent to which patients take medication according to the prescribed dosage and schedule, and maintain this regimen over time. Objective: To analyze treatment adherence among outpatients with neuropsychiatric disorders treated at the Guayaquil Institute of Neurosciences between January 2023 and April 2024. Methodology: An observational and correlational study that analyzed adherence to psychotropic medications in 342 patients with neuropsychiatric disorders. Secondary data processed in Jamovi v2.3.28 were used to describe frequencies, percentages, measures of central tendency, and measures of dispersion. In addition, nonparametric statistical tests (chi-square) were applied to establish associations between variables. Results: The most common neuropsychiatric disorders were schizophrenia and delusional disorders (16.5%), followed by neurotic and somatoform disorders (11.7%). Sixty-three-point seven percent (63.7%) of participants showed low adherence to their treatment plans, with 34.5% demonstrating moderate adherence, and only 1.8% showing high adherence. A statistically significant association was found between treatment adherence and diagnosis (p < 0.001) and between treatment adherence and type of medication (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The distribution of neuropsychiatric disorders is heterogeneous, with a concerning low level of treatment adherence, which affects quality of life. Adherence varies depending on the diagnosis and medication, highlighting the need for personalized strategies, psychoeducation, and clinical follow-up to optimize mental health outcomes. Keywords: treatment adherence, neurocognitive disorders, organic mental disorders