Results from a recent survey of adults with schizophrenia, caregivers of adults with schizophrenia and psychiatrists imply that surveyed groups may feel frustrated by the tradeoffs being made with current schizophrenia treatment options and may be seeking greater balance in medications – ones that can address the symptoms of schizophrenia, while also reducing side effects6.
The Living with Schizophrenia survey7 was conducted by Harris Poll on behalf of Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc. and Lundbeck between March 26 and April 8, 2015, among 120 U.S. adults ages 18+ who have been diagnosed with schizophrenia1; 300 U.S. adults ages 18+ who provide unpaid care to an adult with schizophrenia (“caregivers”)1 and 151 U.S. psychiatrists8 who treat adults 18+ with schizophrenia. Subjects were invited by email to participate and adults with schizophrenia were not required to currently be on medication for their schizophrenia symptoms.
“Schizophrenia is a serious, progressive disease that has a significant impact on patients and caregivers. When it comes to treating it, both groups have been making concessions in an effort to help themselves or a loved one,” said Dr. Rebecca Roma, Medical Director of Community Treatment Teams, Mercy Behavioral Health. “Similarly, psychiatrists are committed to their patients with schizophrenia and creating the most optimal treatment regimen to help set up patients for success. In order to do so, medication options that achieve a balance of efficacy with safety and greater tolerability are needed.”
When given the choice between managing symptoms or minimizing side effects, nearly three-quarters of surveyed adults with schizophrenia who have ever taken schizophrenia medication (70 percent) and surveyed caregivers whose loved one has ever taken schizophrenia medication (74 percent) report that it is more important to ‘manage symptoms.’ However, more than half of these adults with schizophrenia (51 percent) and caregivers (56 percent) report feeling frustrated with schizophrenia medication because the side effects are hard to deal with5. Survey results imply, however, that the tradeoff these adults with schizophrenia and caregivers may be making does not result in complete symptom management: nearly three in four (73 percent) surveyed adults with schizophrenia who currently take medication9 report still dealing with schizophrenia symptoms at least monthly, and almost nine in ten (87 percent) surveyed caregivers whose loved one currently takes medication report the same.