Medication Free Treatment: Characteristics, Justification and Outcome

August 26, 2022 updated by: Kristin Sverdvik Heiervang, University Hospital, Akershus

In 2015 the Norwegian government, after initiative from user organizations, decided to implement medication free inpatient treatment units. The goal is to secure real options to medication for psychiatric illness, and to gather experiences with medication free options. Freedom of choice is a main concern.

The projects main aim is to study the outcome of medication free treatments of mental illness compared to treatment as usual, as well as characteristics of the treatment and the treatment population and why patients choose this treatment. Hereunder we aim to document who asks for these kinds of services and why, what kind of treatment they get, how they experience it, and how they respond to this kind of treatment. An important part will be to document whether the goal of increased freedom of choice between real treatment options is fulfilled.

Research questions

  1. Does medication free treatment differ from treatment as usual? Are there any unique characteristics of the patient group who asks for this kind of treatment? What kind of treatment do they receive during their stay? How do they experience this treatment in comparison to treatment as usual? How is this in relation to the goals about increased freedom of choice? Does use of medication change during and/or after medication free treatment?
  2. Why do patients choose medication free treatment? What are their reasons? What experiences lead to this wish?
  3. What is the outcome of medication free treatment compared to treatment as usual?

Study Overview

Detailed Description

Background In 2015 the Norwegian government, after initiative from user organizations, decided to implement medication free inpatient treatment units. The goal is to secure real options to medication for psychiatric illness, and to gather experiences with medication free options. Freedom of choice is a main concern. (Aksjon for medisinfrie tilbud) The local unit under study DPS døgn Moenga at Akershus University Hospital has been given the assignment of developing a medication free treatment unit. This is an inpatient treatment unit for voluntary, planned treatment. High suicidal risk, severe acting out, active drug abuse etc. is excluded. The treatment program is 8 weeks long.

Status of knowledge The project has been controversial, especially with reference to the status of knowledge. Critiques have stated that the knowledge base for treating serious psychiatric disorders without medication is lacking (Gundersen, 2016; Røssberg, 2016). Concerns are raised about whether it can be harmful (Røssberg, 2016), whether it is necessary (Røssberg, Andreassen, & Malt, 2016) and whether it creates unfortunate dividing lines within health care (Røssberg et al., 2016). National guidelines recommend considering/offering medication for bipolar disorders, deep depression and psychosis (Helsedirektoratet, 2009, 2012, 2013). On the other hand, the knowledge base for use of psychotropic drugs is also being questioned, especially regarding long term effects (Bentall, 2009; Forand & DeRubeis, 2013; Moncrieff, 2009; Sohler et al., 2016; Whitaker, 2010/2014 (no), 2016). Studies on medication are amongst others criticized for not taking withdrawal effect sufficiently into account (Bentall, 2009; Forand & DeRubeis, 2013; Moncrieff, 2009; Whitaker, 2010/2014 (no), 2016). A randomized controlled study by Wunderink, Nieboer, Wiersma, Sytema, and Nienhuis (2013) indicates a follow up period of at least 3 years is necessary to see the benefits of drug reduction regarding antipsychotics.

Summing up, one can argue that generally, a considerable research base point to psychosocial treatment methods having an important place in the treatment of most psychiatric problems (Lambert, 2013; Wampold, 2001; Wampold & Imel, 2015). The more specific questions regarding pure psychosocial treatment for serious disorders and long term effects of psychotropic drugs are at least disputable, and probably under-researched.

Research questions

  1. Does medication free treatment differ from treatment as usual? Patient characteristics, treatment received, experience, medication use.
  2. Why do patients choose medication free treatment? What are their reasons? What experiences lead to this wish?
  3. What is the outcome of medication free treatment compared to treatment as usual? Hypotheses The treatment outcome of medication free treatment is not inferior to treatment as usual.

Patients in medication free treatment will use less medication. Medication withdrawal may affect outcome in the short run.

Project methodology The design of the study is a mixed methods, observational design within a naturalistic treatment setting using qualitative and quantitative methods to address the research questions.

Moenga consist of two units, the medication free unit and a regular unit, which will be included for comparison. In addition we include a treatment unit on a different location for comparison; DPS Myrvegen. We aim for at least 200 n.

One complication is that this autumn it was decided that the units at Moenga shall move and reorganize sometime during 2018. This entail change of location, possible reorganizing of personnel and that the comparison unit at Moenga is joined with another inpatient unit at the new location. This may cause disruptions that can affect our results. We will study possible effects of this in our data, and may exclude parts of the gathered data and prolong the inclusion period.

We will collect survey data at start of treatment, weekly during treatment, at end of treatment (Work package 1), and at 6 months, 1 year, 2 years and 3 years follow up (work package 3). Register data will be collected 3 years back and 3 years follow up (work package 3). Patient interviews (work package 2) and personnel interviews (work package 4) are performed during spring 2018, the patient interviews near the end of the treatment stay. See measures for details.

Plan for data analyses Quantitative and qualitative analyses will be done according to the research questions. We will seek to compare the medication free unit and treatment as usual. Calculating propensity scores in the observational part of the study will be considered, to balance comparison groups (Austin, 2011).

Statistical power Exact power calculations are only possible in concrete, delimited statistical designs, and must necessarily be based on assumptions not always known before starting the study. In a design with 200 persons the total effect of one-way analysis of variance yield a statistical power of .80 for small to medium effect sizes. That is, the probability of detecting differences between groups will be .80 for effect sizes in the range .40 -.50. For pairwise comparisons between groups (with N=50), the probability of detecting effects in the range of Cohen's d >=. 40 will be about .80. In Cohen's pragmatic system, effect sizes with such magnitudes represent a "small to medium effect size". These estimations will also apply to change-scores between two points in time, given that the correlation between the two repeated measurements are r >= .5.

Study plan

Data collection:

Work package 1: Inclusion of patients for quantitative measurements starts April 2018 with a 12 months inclusion period. This may be prolonged if necessary.

Work package 2: Patient interviews will be performed during spring 2018. Work package 3: Follow up measures and register data will be collected until spring 2022.

Work package 4: Personnel interviews will be performed during spring 2018. Analysis Qualitative analyses will be performed within end of 2018. Quantitative analyses will start January 2019 Publishing Publishing of the results in scientific papers will take place mainly in 2019-2023.

Articles

  1. "Medication free treatment: Does it differ from treatment as usual?" This article will address research question 1 and include qualitative data, Collaborate, BMQ, Inspire, CSQ-8, WAI, treatment received, use of medication and background data.
  2. "Medication free treatment: Why?" This article will address research question 2 (Why do patients choose medication free treatment) and include qualitative data.
  3. "Medication free treatment: Does it work?" This article will address the research questions and will include the outcome measures OQ-45, AII, Quality of life, HoNOs, GAF, CGI, drug use, diagnoses and register data. We will also look for correlations between use of medication and outcome, and therefore include measures of medication use.

Research group PhD Kristin S. Heiervang, head of the research group Quality and implementation in Mental Health Services at Akershus university hospital, is project manager (principal investigator) for the project.

Anders S. Wenneberg, specialist in clinical psychology, is the leader of the inpatient treatment facility. Wenneberg is also the project manager of the "Medication Free Treatment" at Akershus University Hospital, Moenga.

Ole André Solbakken is associate professor of clinical psychology and head of section at the Department of Psychology, University of Oslo.

Odd Arne Tjersland is professor of clinical psychology at the Department of Psychology, University of Oslo.

Jon T. Monsen is professor of clinical psychology at the Department of Psychology, University of Oslo.

Allan Abbass is professor, psychiatrist, and founding Director of the Centre for Emotions and Health at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada.

Kari Standal will be the PhD candidate. She is a psychologist at Akershus university hospital, specialized in adult treatment and psychotherapy (group treatment and affect consciousness).

Jill Arild, board member of "Mental Helse" and leader of the action group for medication free treatment is user represantive in the project.

Astrid Ringen Martinsen is a psychology student who will write her main thesis on the qualitative patient data.

Ingrid Engeseth Brakstad is a psychology student who will write her main thesis on the qualitative personnel data.

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Actual)

183

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

      • Jessheim, Norway, 2050
        • DPS Øvre Romerike Døgn
      • Lillestrøm, Norway, 2007
        • DPS Nedre Romerike døgn

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

14 years to 96 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Patient with mental illness in the regions Øvre and Nedre Romerike who receive medication free treatment or treatment as usual at the same level of care (planned, voluntary inpatient treatment at DPS døgn) within the period from spring 2018 and 1-2 years forward, who are able to fill out forms / be interviewed in Norwegian and concent to participate.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Receiving planned treatment in the included treatment units
  • Are able to fill out questionnaires in Norwegian with minimal help / be interviewed in norwegian
  • Signed informed consent and willing to participate in the trial

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Not able to fill out questionnaires or be interviewed in Norwegian.
  • Beds dedicated acute crisis and usercontrolled beds

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Observational Models: Other
  • Time Perspectives: Prospective

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Intervention / Treatment
Patients in medication free treatment
Inpatient unit dedicated to medication free treatment. This is an inpatient treatment unit for voluntary, planned treatment. The unit is staffed for a patient group that can be managed within a regime of open doors, voluntary treatment and low supervision. This means that high suicidal risk, severe acting out, active drug abuse etc. is excluded. They have an 8 week treatment program including Illness managment an recovery (IMR), Feedback informed treatment (FIT) and Affect consciousness treatment (ABT).
Inpatient unit dedicated to medication free treatment. This is an inpatient treatment unit for voluntary, planned treatment. The unit is staffed for a patient group that can be managed within a regime of open doors, voluntary treatment and low supervision. This means that high suicidal risk, severe acting out, active drug abuse etc. is excluded. They have an 8 week treatment program including Illness managment an recovery (IMR), Feedback informed treatment (FIT) and Affect consciousness treatment (ABT).
Patients in treatment as Usual Åråsen
Inpatient unit colocated with the medication free unit. Same level of care. Similar treatment program, shorter treatment duration (on average 3 weeks).
Unit colocated with the medication free unit. Similar treatment program. Short treatment duration (average 3 weeks).
Patients in treatment as Usual Myrvegen
Inpatient unit on a different location from the others. Same Level of care. Different treatment program. Intermediate treatment duration (mainly 4-6 weeks).
Inpatient unit on a different location from the others. Same Level of care. Different treatment program. Intermediate treatment duration (mainly 4-6 weeks).

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Outcome Questionnaire-45 (OQ-45)
Time Frame: Filled out by patients at start of treatment, 1 time every week during the treatment program (typically 2 to 8 weeks), 1 time at end of treatment (typically at week 2-8) and at 6 months, 1 year, 2 years and 3 years
This questionnaire was developed for tracking outpatients on a weekly basis. It measures symptom distress, interpersonal functioning and contentment with social role functioning, areas widely recognized as the essential ingredients of interest when assessing patient improvement. It is regarded suitable for patients with a wide range of diagnoses, sensitive to change over a short period of time, and brief and easy to administer (Lambert, Hansen, & Finch, 2001).
Filled out by patients at start of treatment, 1 time every week during the treatment program (typically 2 to 8 weeks), 1 time at end of treatment (typically at week 2-8) and at 6 months, 1 year, 2 years and 3 years

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
The Working Alliance Inventory (WAI-SP)
Time Frame: Filled out by patients at start of treatment, 1 time every week during the treatment program (typically 2 to 8 weeks), 1 time at end of treatment (typically at week 2-8) and at 6 months, 1 year, 2 years and 3 years
The WAI is one of the most widely used measures in research on working alliance and measures three aspects of the collaborative, purposive work in therapy: Bond, Task, and Goal. Research indicates that Bond, Task, and Goal represent the multidimensional construct working alliance is assumed to be (Horvath, 1994; ref. in Hersoug et al., 2009). WAI items are rated on a 7-point Likert-type scale ranging from 1 (never) to 7 (always), assessing the extent to which patient and therapist explicitly agree on the tasks and goals of therapy and the quality of the affective bond between them.
Filled out by patients at start of treatment, 1 time every week during the treatment program (typically 2 to 8 weeks), 1 time at end of treatment (typically at week 2-8) and at 6 months, 1 year, 2 years and 3 years
Beliefs about medicines questionnaire (BMQ)
Time Frame: Filled out by patients at start of treatment, end of treatment (typically at week 2-8) and at 6 months, 1 year, 2 years and 3 years
The BMQ comprises two sections: the BMQ-Specific which assesses representations of medication prescribed for personal use and the BMQ-General which assesses beliefs about mcdicines in general. The pool of test items was derived from themes identified in published studies and from interviews with chronically ill patients. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of the test items resulted in a logically coherent. 18 item, 4-factor structure which was stable across various illness groups. In this study we use the BMQ-Specific. The BMQ-Specific comprises two 5-item factors assessing beliefs about the necessity of prescribed medication (Specific-Necessity) and concerns about prescribed medication bascd on beliefs about the danger of dependence and long-term toxicity and the disruptive effects of medication (Specific-Concern).
Filled out by patients at start of treatment, end of treatment (typically at week 2-8) and at 6 months, 1 year, 2 years and 3 years
INSPIRE measure of staff support for personal recovery
Time Frame: Filled out by patients at start of treatment, end of treatment (typically at week 2-8) and at 6 months, 1 year, 2 years and 3 years
INSPIRE measure of staff support for personal recovery version 3 is included because the Recovery-tradition is a central part of the treatment program. Inspire has two subscales; Support and Relationship. The scale has demonstrated adequate psychometric properties (Williams et al., 2015).
Filled out by patients at start of treatment, end of treatment (typically at week 2-8) and at 6 months, 1 year, 2 years and 3 years
CollaboRATE
Time Frame: Filled out by patients at start of treatment, end of treatment (typically at week 2-8) and at 6 months, 1 year, 2 years and 3 years
Collaborate is a 3-item measure of shared decision making. CollaboRATE assesses three core SDM tasks: (1) explanation about health issues, (2) elicitation of patient preferences and (3) integration of patient preferences into decisions (Paul J. Barr et al., 2017). It has been found to have adequate psychometric properties in both simulated (Paul James Barr et al., 2014) and clinical (Paul J. Barr et al., 2017) settings.
Filled out by patients at start of treatment, end of treatment (typically at week 2-8) and at 6 months, 1 year, 2 years and 3 years
The Client Satisfaction Questionnaire-8 (CSQ-8)
Time Frame: Filled out by patients at start of treatment, end of treatment (typically at week 2-8) and at 6 months, 1 year, 2 years and 3 years
The Client Satisfaction Questionnaire-8 (CSQ-8) is an eight item questionnaire for measuring patient's global satisfaction with services. It has been shown to correlate well with the longer version, CSQ-18, and has shown good psychometric qualities regarding internal consistency, attendance, remainer-terminator status and greater client-reported symptomreduction (Attkisson & Zwick, 1982)
Filled out by patients at start of treatment, end of treatment (typically at week 2-8) and at 6 months, 1 year, 2 years and 3 years
Affect Integration Inventory 42 (AII-42)
Time Frame: Filled out by patients at start of treatment, end of treatment (typically at week 2-8) and at 6 months, 1 year, 2 years and 3 years
Affect Integration Inventory 42 (AII-42) is a short version of AII, a medium-length (112 items) self-rated assessment instrument that endeavors to measure capacities for experience and expression of nine affect states. These are important parts of the construct affect integration, the capacity to utilize affects for personal adjustment. A recent study has found satisfactory reliability, sound internal structure, and associations with external criteria, indicating good convergent and discriminant validity (Solbakken, Rauk, Solem, Lødrup, & Monsen, 2017).
Filled out by patients at start of treatment, end of treatment (typically at week 2-8) and at 6 months, 1 year, 2 years and 3 years
Life satisfaction question
Time Frame: Filled out by patients at start of treatment, end of treatment (typically at week 2-8) and at 6 months, 1 year, 2 years and 3 years
One question regarding life satisfaction from the project from the MANSA instrument (Clausen et al., 2015).
Filled out by patients at start of treatment, end of treatment (typically at week 2-8) and at 6 months, 1 year, 2 years and 3 years
Questions regarding whether they specifically sought medication free treatment and why
Time Frame: Filled out by patients at start of treatment.
Questions regarding whether they specifically sought medication free treatment and why (self-developed)
Filled out by patients at start of treatment.
Background data
Time Frame: Filled out by patients at start of treatment.
Sosiodemographic data, contact with family and network, caregiving, juridical information, health service use, health history, drug use, physical health, health history (from the project "Bedre psykosebehandling").
Filled out by patients at start of treatment.
Treatment received
Time Frame: Filled out by patients at end of treatment (typically week 2-8).
A form regarding what kind of treatment they have received during the stay, and benefit (adapted from Sintef Unimed, 2002)
Filled out by patients at end of treatment (typically week 2-8).
Use of drugs
Time Frame: Filled out by patients at start of treatment, at 6 months, 1 year, 2 years and 3 years
Use of drugs (questions from the project "Bedre psykosebehandling").
Filled out by patients at start of treatment, at 6 months, 1 year, 2 years and 3 years
The Clinical Global Impressions Scale (CGI)
Time Frame: Filled out by clinician at start of treatment and end of treatment (typically week 2-8)
The Clinical Global Impressions Scale (CGI) was developed for use in NIMH-sponsored clinical trials to provide a brief, stand-alone assessment of the clinician's view of the patient's global functioning prior to and after initiating a study medication (Guy, 1976; ref. in Busner & Targum, 2007) The CGI provides an overall clinician-determined summary measure that takes into account all available information, including a knowledge of the patient's history, psychosocial circumstances, symptoms, behavior, and the impact of the symptoms on the patient's ability to function. The CGI can track clinical progress across time and has been shown to correlate with longer, more tedious and time consuming rating instruments across a wide range of psychiatric diagnoses (Busner & Targum, 2007).
Filled out by clinician at start of treatment and end of treatment (typically week 2-8)
Health of the Nation Outcomes Scales (HoNOS)
Time Frame: Filled out by clinician at start of treatment and end of treatment (typically week 2-8).
Health of the Nation Outcomes Scales (HoNOS) was developed to routinely measure outcomes for adults with mental illness. It is regarded adequate for assessing outcomes for different groups on a range of mental health-related constructs, and appropriate for routinely monitoring outcomes (Pirkis et al., 2005).
Filled out by clinician at start of treatment and end of treatment (typically week 2-8).
Global assessment of functioning (GAF)
Time Frame: Filled out by clinician at start of treatment and end of treatment (typically week 2-8).
Global assessment of functioning (GAF) is one of the axes in the DSM diagnostic system from version III-R (Ullevål personlighetsprosjekt) until version 5. The multiaxial system was discarded in version 5 (Kress, Minton, Adamson, Paylo, & Pope, undated). From 1998 Statens helsetilsyn recommended all health institutions to use a minimum set of basic data ("minste basis datasett") which included a split version of GAF called S-GAF (Ullevål personlighetsprosjekt). The patient is ranged on two scales from 0-100 regarding symptoms and functioning. The psychometric properties of GAF are disputed (Kress et al., undated), but the measure is short, widely applied and mandatory in hospitals and therefore we include it.
Filled out by clinician at start of treatment and end of treatment (typically week 2-8).
Scale on alcohol (AUS)
Time Frame: Filled out by clinician at start of treatment and end of treatment (typically week 2-8).
Scale on alcohol (AUS (Drake et al., 1990)
Filled out by clinician at start of treatment and end of treatment (typically week 2-8).
Scale on drugs (DUS)
Time Frame: Filled out by clinician at start of treatment and end of treatment (typically week 2-8).
Scale on drugs (Mueser et al., 1995))
Filled out by clinician at start of treatment and end of treatment (typically week 2-8).
Diagnoses
Time Frame: Filled out by clinician at start of treatment and end of treatment (typically week 2-8).
Diagnoses (including information on any diagnostic procedures used) (questions from the project "Bedre psykosebehandling").
Filled out by clinician at start of treatment and end of treatment (typically week 2-8).
Treatment received
Time Frame: Filled out by clinician at end of treatment (typically week 2-8).
Treatment received (scheme adapted from SINTEF Helse, 2005).
Filled out by clinician at end of treatment (typically week 2-8).
Patient interviews
Time Frame: The interviews will be done close to the end of the treatment program (typically week 7).
experience the treatment program, differences to other treatment they have been in and experience of freedom of choice regarding medication and other ways of coping. Interview guides will be developed by the phd candidate and a psychology student. The student will do pilot testing of the interview.
The interviews will be done close to the end of the treatment program (typically week 7).
Register data
Time Frame: Register data will be documented at baseline, and at 6 months, 1 year, 2 years and 3 years follow up.
We will seek approval and consent to get data from national official registers on health and use of health services (Norwegian Patient Register, HELFO for primary health and social care, NAV).
Register data will be documented at baseline, and at 6 months, 1 year, 2 years and 3 years follow up.
Staff interviews
Time Frame: The interviews are performed during spring 2018
Interviews with staff on the medication free unit for exploring characteristics and differences to treatment as usual
The interviews are performed during spring 2018
Register data from the Medication Prescription Register
Time Frame: Collected at 3 years before treatment start, 2 years before, 1 year before, 6 months post treatment, 1 year post treatment, 2 years post treatment and 3 years post treatment
Use of prescribed psychothropic medication
Collected at 3 years before treatment start, 2 years before, 1 year before, 6 months post treatment, 1 year post treatment, 2 years post treatment and 3 years post treatment
Questionnaire on medication filled out by patients
Time Frame: at start of treatment, at 6 monts, 1 year, 2 years and 3 years.
Questionnaire regarding psychotrophic medication based on questions from the project "Bedre psykosebehandling"
at start of treatment, at 6 monts, 1 year, 2 years and 3 years.
Questionnaire on medication filled out by clinician
Time Frame: at start of treatment and end of treatment (typically at 2-8 weeks)
Questionnaire regarding psychotrophic medication based on questions from the project "Bedre psykosebehandling"
at start of treatment and end of treatment (typically at 2-8 weeks)
Help with medication filled out by patient
Time Frame: at start of treatment, end of treatment (typically at 2-8 weeks) and at 6 months, 1 year, 2 years and 3 years.
Help with medication: Questions developed in the project "Bedre psykosebehandling" about perceived quality of help and information regarding medication (Prosjekt Bedre psykosebehandling, n.d.).
at start of treatment, end of treatment (typically at 2-8 weeks) and at 6 months, 1 year, 2 years and 3 years.

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Collaborators

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Kristin Heiervang, PhD, Akershus Universitetssykehus

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

May 14, 2018

Primary Completion (Anticipated)

April 1, 2023

Study Completion (Anticipated)

April 1, 2023

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

March 23, 2018

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 9, 2018

First Posted (Actual)

April 17, 2018

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

August 29, 2022

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 26, 2022

Last Verified

August 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • medicationfree

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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