P03-153 - Special Informative Internet Site for Schizophrenic Patients: Its Feasibility and Contribution to Pharmacotherapy

Abstract

Introduction

Delivery of information about his/her disease and its treatment to a schizophrenic patient is essential but no consensus exists concerning to what extent and how to deliver the information.

Study aim

To study the therapeutic impact of internet mediated knowledge an internet site was built particularly for the use of schizophrenic patients and contained information about pharmacotherapy, symptoms management and patients’ rights.

Materials and methods

The patients enrolled in the study were randomly divided into 4 groups. Each of the three study groups was given a task to study different topic (pharmacological treatment, symptoms management or patients’ rights) by means of the internet site. The forth group was a control one. Based on analysis of the questionnaires filled out by the patients before and two weeks after the information delivery we have analyzed whether the site is user friendly, emotional responses of the patients, extent of information catching, satisfaction change and contribution to pharmacotherapy.

Inclusion criteria

Patients diagnosed as suffering from schizophrenia and being hospitalized more than once.

Results

28 patients were enrolled, among them 25 being hospitalized. In the study groups, satisfaction from the therapy has improved after browsing the site. Compliance to pharmacotherapy has improved in the groups that had learned about pharmacotherapy and symptoms management. Compliance did not improve in the group instructed on the patients’ rights and in the control group.