Assertive community treatment and medication compliance in the homeless mentally ill.

OBJECTIVE

This study describes medication compliance rates among a group of homeless mentally ill subjects who received assertive community treatment.

METHOD

The medication compliance of 77 homeless persons who had been referred to an assertive community treatment program was prospectively evaluated at baseline and quarterly for 1 year.

RESULTS

A minority of the cohort (29%) was compliant at entry into the assertive community treatment program. Compliance significantly increased after 3 months (57%) and remained high through the year. Medication compliance was associated with fewer psychiatric symptoms but not with better housing placements or fewer days in the hospital.

CONCLUSIONS

Medication compliance rates among a cohort of homeless persons with severe mental illness were markedly higher after they entered a program of assertive community treatment.