A comparison of functionality, insight and treatment adaptation according to psychiatric patients' attendance to a Community Mental Health Center

A COMPARISON OF FUNCTIONALITY, INSIGHT AND TREATMENT ADAPTATION ACCORDING TO PSYCHIATRIC PATIENTS' ATTENDANCE TO A COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH CENTER Purpose: The aim of this study is to compare the social functionality, insight and medication compliance of patients enrolled in the Community Mental Health Center (TRSM) according to the attendance status of the TRSM program. Materials and Methods: The sample of the study consisted of 130 adult patients diagnosed with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, schizoaffective disorder and unspecified inorganic psychosis, who were registered to the Izmit Province Halıdere Community Mental Health Center for at least one year as of September 2019. These patients were divided into two groups as those attending the Community Mental Health Center (n: 65) and those who did not (n: 65). As data collection tools; Socio-demographic Information Form, Morisky Adjustment Scale, Three Components of Insight Assessment Scale and Social Functioning Scale were used. This study was planned as a descriptive study in order to compare the Psychiatric Patients' Functionality, Insight and Compliance with Treatment According to the Community Mental Health Center Attendance. Frequencies (number, percentage) were used for categorical variables, and descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation) were used for numerical variables. The differences between the two independent groups were analyzed using the Independent Sample T-Test and the relationships between the two independent numerical variables were analyzed using the Pearson Correlation coefficient. Results: The Social Functioning Scale total, the Three Components of Insight Assessment Scale and Morisky Adjustment Scale total scores of the patients attending the Community Mental Health Center were found to be significantly higher than the patients who did not attend the Community Mental Health Center (p<0.05). Conclusion: Regular participation in Community Mental Health Center activities contributes positively to the functionality level of patients, their development of insight into the disease and their compliance with treatment. In line with these results, it can be suggested that community mental health nurses give priority to education and intervention programs that will support regular participation in Community Mental Health Centers for patients and their families. Keywords: Community Mental Health Center, Functioning, Insight, Medication Compliance, Social Functioning, Community Mental Health Nurse