Workshop on antiepileptic drug development : summary tables, and appendices /

Mode of access: Internet

The meaning of medications:another look at compliance

Abstract-Most research on compliance with medical regimens takes a doctor-centered perspective and proceeds from certain assumptions. This paper presents an alternative, patient-centered approach to managing medications, using data from 80 in-depth interviews of people with epilepsy. This approach focuses on the meanings of medication in people’s everyday lives and looks at why people take their medications as well as why they do not. I argue that from a patient’s perspective the issue is more one of self-regulation than compliance. When we examine ‘noncompliance ’ beyond difficulties with ‘side effects ’ and drug efficacy, the meanings of self-regulation include testing, controlling dependence, destigmatization and creating a practical practice. What appears to be noncompliance from a medical perspective may actually be a form of asserting control over one’s disorder. Compliance with medical regimens, especially drug regimens, has become a topic of central interest for both medical and social scientific research. By com-pliance we mean “the extent to which a person’s behavior (in terms of taking medications, following diets, or executing lifestyle changes) coincides wit

Adults with learning disabilities and epilepsy: knowledge about epilepsy before and after an educational package

The understanding individuals have about their epilepsy may influence the success with which that individual copes with his/her epilepsy. This paper presents the first evaluation of a video-assisted brief educational package for adults with mild learning disabilities and epilepsy ("Epilepsy and You"; Paul, 1996 21). Utilizing a deferred entry to treatment design to evaluate intervention effects eighteen subjects participated in the study. Their knowledge about epilepsy before and after training was assessed using a checklist of knowledge and the Epilepsy Knowledge Questionnaire-Revised for use with people with learning disabilities. Results demonstrated significant gains in knowledge which were durable over a short follow-up period (1 month). "Epilepsy and You" was found to be suitable for use with a wide range of individuals and subjects' opinions demonstrated they enjoyed taking part. This study is a preliminary investigation from which other research can develop. Therefore, criticisms and suggestions for further research have been made