Parents’ satisfaction with information received on psychotropic drugs used by adolescents in a Mental Health Unit

Abstract

Objective:

To analyze the satisfaction of those responsible for adolescents with information received for the use of psychotropic drugs.

Methods:

Cross-sectional study carried out in a reference outpatient clinic in Brasília between 2017 and 2019. It involved 173 legal representatives of adolescents diagnosed with Mental and Behavioral Disorders using psychotropic drugs. In order to identify the level of satisfaction about the information received on psychotropic drugs, the Satisfaction with Information about Medicines Scale (SIMS) was used.

Results:

Most guardians were dissatisfied with the information received on psychotropic drugs (n=112; 64.7%). The dissatisfaction with information about potential problems of medication was the one that stood out the most (n=127; 73.4%) when compared to information about action and usage (n=89; 51.5%). Participants considered information on the impact of medication on the adolescent’s sexual life unsatisfactory or nonexistent.

Conclusions:

The parents’ satisfaction with the information received about psychotropic drugs was low. Participants showed dissatisfaction with the information about potential problems, especially related to the impact on the sexual life of their tutored.

Keywords:
Adolescent; Patient satisfaction; Psychotropic drugs; Mental health; Mental disorders