Cost-effectiveness evaluation of compliance therapy for people with psychosis.

BACKGROUND Non-compliance rates with antipsychotic medication can be high, and the personal and societal costs are considerable. A new psychological intervention, compliance therapy seeks to improve compliance and patient outcomes and reduce treatment costs. METHOD A randomised controlled study examined the cost-effectiveness of compliance therapy compared to non-specific counselling over 18 months for 74 people with psychosis admitted as inpatients at the Maudsley Hospital. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to test for differences and to explore inter-patient cost variations. RESULTS Compliance therapy is more effective and is no more expensive. Consequently, compliance therapy is more cost-effective than non-specific counselling at six, 12 and 18 months. CONCLUSIONS There are compliance, outcome and cost-effectiveness arguments in favour of compliance therapy in preference to non-specific counselling.