Tratamento medicamentoso e não medicamentoso de usuários de um Centro de Atenção Psicossocial

AIMS: To verify the profile of pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment of patients assisted in a Psychosocial Care Center.METHODS: An epidemiological study with a cross-sectional design was carried out in a Psychosocial Care Center of a municipality in the Northwest of the State of Rio Grande do Sul. All patients assisted in the Center, aged over 18 years, of both genders, were included. Those for whom information about treatment was missing were excluded. Data collection was performed by direct access to medical records regarding sociodemographic characteristics, information on diagnosis, previous hospital admissions, pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment. Data analysis was performed using the Pearson Chi-square test and the significance level was set at p<0.05.RESULTS: A total of 448 patients were included, whose mean age was 48.25±12.44 years, 293 (65.4%) were female, 266 (59.2%) lived without a partner and 206 (46.0%) had incomplete elementary education. All patients were receiving non-pharmacological treatment and 445 (99.3%) were also taking medications. Among the classes of drugs used, antipsychotics (78.3%) and antidepressants (71.2%) predominated. Using of four or more drugs was associated with previous hospitalization and with taking antipsychotics, antidepressants, antiepileptics and anxiolytics.CONCLUSIONS: A sociodemographic profile similar to that of users of Psychosocial Care Centers in different Brazilian regions was found. All patients received non-pharmacological treatment and almost all also used drugs. In view of the high number of medications and hospital admissions identified, there is a need to expand the scope of non-pharmacological therapies in the treatment of mental disorders, in order to promote the comprehensiveness and the resolubility of mental health care.