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Prescribing patterns of low doses of antipsychotic medications in older Asian patients with schizophrenia, 2001–2009

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 February 2012

Yu-Tao Xiang ,
Faith Dickerson ,
Julie Kreyenbuhl ,
Gabor S. Ungvari ,
Chuan-Yue Wang ,
Tian-Mei Si ,
Edwin H. M. Lee ,
Yan-Ling He ,
Helen F. K. Chiu  and
Kelly Y. C. Lai
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Yu-Tao Xiang*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
Faith Dickerson
Affiliation:
The Stanley Research Program at Sheppard Pratt, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Julie Kreyenbuhl
Affiliation:
Division of Services Research, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA Veterans Administration Capitol Healthcare Network (VISN 5) Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Gabor S. Ungvari
Affiliation:
The University of Notre Dame Australia/Marian Centre, Perth, Australia
Chuan-Yue Wang
Affiliation:
Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
Tian-Mei Si*
Affiliation:
Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Mental Health & Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, China
Edwin H. M. Lee
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
Yan-Ling He
Affiliation:
Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai, China
Helen F. K. Chiu
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
Kelly Y. C. Lai
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
Naotaka Shinfuku
Affiliation:
School of Human Sciences, Seinan Gakuin University Fukuoka, Japan
Shu-Yu Yang
Affiliation:
Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
Mian-Yoon Chong
Affiliation:
Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and School of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taiwan
Ee-Heok Kua
Affiliation:
National University of Singapore, Singapore
Senta Fujii
Affiliation:
Hyogo Institute for Traumatic Stress (HITS), Kobe, Japan
Kang Sim
Affiliation:
Institute of Mental Health, Buangkok View, Singapore
Michael K. H. Yong
Affiliation:
Institute of Mental Health, Buangkok View, Singapore
Jitendra K. Trivedi
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, C.S.M. Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
Eun-Kee Chung
Affiliation:
National Seoul Hospital, Seoul, Korea
Pichet Udomratn
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla, Thailand
Kok-Yoon Chee
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Tunku Abdul Rahman Institute of Neuroscience, Kuala Lumpur Hospital, Malaysia
Norman Sartorius
Affiliation:
Association for the Improvement of Mental Health Programs, Geneva, Switzerland
Chay-Hoon Tan
Affiliation:
National University of Singapore, Singapore
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Dr. Yu-Tao Xiang, Department of Psychiatry, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Ground Floor, Multicentre, Tai Po Hospital, Tai Po, N.T., Hong Kong. Phone: +852-2607-6041; Fax: +852-2647-5321. Email: xyutly@gmail.com.
Dr. Tian-Mei Si, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, China. Email: si.tian-mei@163.com.
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Abstract

Background: This study examined the use of low doses of antipsychotic medications (300 mg/day CPZeq or less) in older Asian patients with schizophrenia and its demographic and clinical correlates.

Methods: Information on hospitalized patients with schizophrenia, aged 55 years or older, was extracted from the database of the Research on Asian Psychotropic Prescription Patterns (REAP) study (2001–2009). Data on 1,452 patients in eight Asian countries and territories including China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, India, and Malaysia were analyzed. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics and antipsychotic prescriptions were recorded using a standardized protocol and data collection procedure.

Results: The prescription frequency for low doses of antipsychotic medications was 40.9% in the pooled sample. Multiple logistic regression analysis of the whole sample showed that patients on low doses of antipsychotic medications were more likely to be female, have an older age, a shorter length of illness, and less positive symptoms. Of patients in the six countries and territories that participated in all the surveys between 2001 and 2009, those in Japan were less likely to receive low doses of antipsychotics.

Conclusion: Low doses of antipsychotic medications were only applied in less than half of older Asian patients with schizophrenia.

Keywords

schizophreniaprescription patternslow dosesolder patientsAsia
Type
Research Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 24 , Issue 6 , June 2012 , pp. 1002 - 1008
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2012

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