Many patients suffering from psychosis are nonadherent to their medications. Nonadherence can range from treatment refusal to irregular use or partial change in daily medication doses.

To investigate whether symptom dimensions, post-discharge care plans and being involved with faith healer affect the adherence to treatment in patients with schizophrenia.

A total of 121 patients with schizophrenia were examined 6 weeks post-discharge from the inpatient unit and assessed for full, partial or nonadherence to medication.

There was a significant association between family involvement and partial adherence and between community team involvement post-discharge and full adherence to medications. Psycho-education was a predictor for adherence to medications, persecutory delusions and lack of insight predicted partial adherence, while being involved with faith healers predicted nonadherence.

Adherence to medications and socio-demographic variables are independent. This study demonstrated that nonadherence or partial adherence to medications is associated with lack of insight and persecutory delusions. Psycho-education could improve the adherence to medication compliances.