Enhancing medication compliance in coffee groups.

In an adult outpatient department of a hospital serving a severely disadvantaged population, coffee groups have become an effective means of treating chronic, treatment-resistant patients and reinforcing their compliance with medication regimens. In dealing with the patients, many of whom have problems communicating needs and information, the therapists have developed such approaches as using concrete language, recognizing that many patients use medication transactions to reflect dissatisfaction with changes in group routine, anticipating common problems related to medication, and at times accepting patients' idiosyncratic chemotherapeutic preferences. Important elements of the coffee groups are the caring attitude of the co-therapists, a nonpressured atmosphere, and the presence of a familiar peer group.