Health professionals' beliefs about medication for bipolar disorder

Pages4-8
Date30 March 2012
DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1108/17556221211230543
Published date30 March 2012
AuthorJennifer Cooke,Richard Bowskill,Jane Clatworthy,Patrick LeSeve,Tim Rank,Rhian Parham,Rob Horne
Subject MatterHealth & social care
Hot topic
Health professionals’ beliefs about
medication for bipolar disorder
Jennifer Cooke, Richard Bowskill, Jane Clatworthy, Patrick LeSeve, Tim Rank, Rhian Parham
and Rob Horne
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to compare beliefs about medication prescribed for bipolar
disorder across professional groups within Community Mental Health Teams (CMHTs) – psychiatric
nurses, psychiatrists, support workers, social workers, and occupational therapists – who each receive
different training.
Design/methodology/approach – Participants (n¼138) completed an adapted version of the Beliefs
about Medicines Questionnaire. ANOVAs with Tukey’s post hoc tests were used to compare beliefs
across professional groups.
Findings – Beliefs about medication differed across professional groups, with psychiatrists believing
most strongly that medication is necessary in the treatment of bipolar disorder (p,0.05) and reporting
the lowest concern about its adverse effects ( p,0.05). Psychiatrists and social workers were
significantly more likely to believe that patients take less than instructed than occupational therapists,
nurses and support workers ( p,0.05).
Practical implications The differences in perceptions of medication across professional groups may
reflect differences in training, with the role of medication traditionally being ‘‘downplayed’’ on some
training courses. This has implications for patient adherence, as patients’ beliefs about medication are
likely to be influenced by those of their key workers. This is particularly relevant in terms of ‘‘New Ways of
Working’’ where patients are likely to see psychiatrists less often.
Originality/value – This original research provides evidence to support the provision of training about
medications and adherence in bipolar disorder for CMHT workers, who may not have had exposure to
such training as part of their primary qualification.
Keywords Community mental health team, Medication, Medicines, Adherence, Bipolar disorder,
Differences, Beliefs
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Guidelinesrecommend the use of psychotropic medication in the treatment of bipolar disorder
(NICE, 2006). Patients’ beliefs about treatment (specifically low perceived need for treatment
and high concerns about potential adverse effects of treatment) have been associated with
non-adherence to medication prescribedfor bipolar disorder (Clatworthy et al., 2009). Health
professionals have the potential to allay patients’ misconceptions regarding medicines,
supporting informed choice and adherence (Horne, 2003). Mental health teams include
professionalsfrom a variety of training backgrounds (e.g. occupational therapists, psychiatric
nurses, psychiatrists, social workers, support workers) who are likely to have differing views
about the treatment of bipolar disorder, which may directly influence those of their patients
and may also affect their motivation and ability to elicit and address patients’ perceptions
PAGE 4
j
THE JOURNAL OF MENTAL HEALTHTRAINING, EDUCATION AND PRACTICE
j
VOL.7NO.12012,pp.4-8,QEmerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 1755-6228 DOI 10.1108/17556221211230543
Jennifer Cooke is a
Specialist Registrar in
Psychiatry and Richard
Bowskill is a Consultant
Psychiatrist, both at Sussex
Partnership NHS Trust,
Brighton and Sussex
Medical School,
Brighton, UK.
Jane Clatworthy is a Clinical
Psychologist in the
Department of Practice &
Policy, The School of
Pharmacy, University of
London, London, UK.
Patrick LeSeve and Tim
Rank are both Consultant
Psychiatrists at Sussex
Partnership NHS Trust,
Brighton, UK.
Rhian Parham is a Clinical
Psychologist and
Rob Horne is Professor of
Psychological Medicine,
both in the Department of
Practice & Policy, The
School of Pharmacy,
University of London,
London, UK.

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