A Patient-Centered Approach to Improve Screening for Side Effects of Second Generation Antipsychotics (SGAs)

Project Background/Rationale: Second-generation antipsychotic (SGA) medications are widely used to treat psychotic disorders but are associated with metabolic side effects such as weight gain, glucose dysregulation, and hyperlipidemia that may contribute to the high rates of cardiovascular disease observed in individuals with serious mental illness (SMI). Adherence to guidelines for regular screening for the metabolic side effects of SGAs is inadequate. Patient-centered care, characterized by an effective partnership between clinicians and patients that promotes active participation by patients in their own care, improves health outcomes and satisfaction in the general population. In order to increase rates of screening for the metabolic side effects of SGAs, we propose to design a patient-centered computerized tool that provides veterans with SMI with personalized health information on how well their care adheres to screening recommendations. The computerized tool will use principles shown to enhance usability in persons with cognitive impairments.

Project Objectives: The objectives of this study are to determine the effect of exposure to a patient-centered computerized tool compared to enhanced treatment as usual (e-TAU) on: (1) rates of screening for and identification of health problems associated with the metabolic side effects of SGAs; (2) patterns of patient-centered communication around screening for metabolic side effects and VA patients' self-efficacy in communicating with their psychiatrists about screening; (3) VA patients' preferences for obtaining health information and participating in decision-making about screening; and (4) VA patients' perceptions of their psychiatrists' participatory decision-making styles around screening.

Project Methods: A total of 240 veterans with psychotic disorders prescribed SGAs and in regular contact with their prescribing clinicians in outpatient mental health clinics in the VA Maryland Health Care System will be recruited for this randomized controlled trial. Half of participants will be randomly assigned to the intervention condition in which they will view a brief computer program that provides personalized health information on adherence to guidelines for screening of metabolic side effects that is designed to facilitate discussion with psychiatrists about appropriate screening. The other half of participants will receive enhanced treatment-as-usual (e-TAU) consisting of printed information on the metabolic side effects of SGAs and general recommendations for screening. Participants will be exposed to the intervention or e-TAU up to 3 times immediately prior to a visit with their prescriber over the one-year study period. Rates of screening for the metabolic side effects of SGAs will be obtained from patients' computerized medical records. A single prescriber visit for each participant will be audiotaped and coded with the Roter Interaction Analysis System (RIAS) to characterize patterns of patient-clinician communication around screening for metabolic side effects. Baseline and 12-month follow-up interview assessments with veterans will be used to acquire information on self-efficacy, their preferences for obtaining health information and participating in decisions regarding side effect screening, and important covariates such as severity of psychiatric illness.