Clinical Study using e-pill CADEX Alarm Technology with Schizophrenic Clients to Improve Treatment Compliance

Schizophrenia & Schizoaffective Disorders: Researchers have found compliance rates of less than 50% for medication and psychosocial therapeutic treatments for people diagnosed with schizophrenia. Compliance rates decline as the number of medication doses per day increases, and also decline for people with memory and other cognitive difficulties. Individuals with schizophrenia often have severe memory impairment and cognitive distortions that can interfere with medication compliance. Medication regimens, as well as other aspects of the overall treatment plan, can be complicated and require multiple doses across a day. The e-pill CADEX (manufactured by e-pill Medication Reminders, Boston (Wellesley), MA) has features such as various alarms for medications and appointments, brief textual reminders (for example, on how to take a medication), and Medic Alert information that make it uniquely suited to be used as an adjunct to treatment for this population. This type of technology has been recommended by providers and in peer-reviewed journal articles, but has not been formally tested. No similar technology has been tested for this population. If successful, this intervention has the potential to have a major impact on the treatment of schizophrenia. Most importantly, it is available in rural and frontier areas where access to providers and intensive treatment plans are limited or nonexistent. Its' use can be easily integrated into evidence-based practice guidelines and programs with little impact on the program’s original implementation.

Researcher: Elizabeth S. EnglandKennedy

Behavioral Health Research Center of the Southwest (BHRCS) / (505) 228-5610