Prevalence, factors and reasons associated with missed first appointments among out-patients with schizophrenia at the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Benin City.

BACKGROUND: Non-attendance to clinic appointments is associated with poorer treatment outcomes. There is a dearth of information about missed first clinic appointments among patients with schizophrenia in Nigeria. AIMS: To determine the prevalence, correlates and reasons for missed first appointment among out-patients with schizophrenia at the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria. METHOD: A cross-sectional descriptive study among 275 out-patients with schizophrenia, using the Mini International Neuro-Psychiatric Interview and the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale. RESULTS: The prevalence of missed first appointment was 31%. Higher BPRS score was associated with missing the appointment. The main reasons for missed appointments were: forgetting the appointment date and patient's refusal to come to the clinic. CONCLUSIONS: Missed first out-patient clinic appointment is common among patients with schizophrenia at the study site, forgetting appointment dates being a common reason. Among other recommendations, methods of reminding patients and caregivers of appointment dates at the study location may need to be explored. DECLARATION OF INTEREST: None.