Table 2 Interview guide

1. What is your current position at work and what are your clinical responsibilities?

2. In your daily work, have you ever encountered problems that patients with severe mental disorders, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder, discontinue the medications prescribed by psychiatrists?

3. Do you suggest/help these patients to continue their medications? How do you do that?

4. Do you face with any difficulties when suggesting/helping these patients to continue medications?

5. Are there any other people (family members/friends/other caregivers/other healthcare providers?) assisting these patients taking medications? How do they help?

6. Besides mental health hospitals or psychiatry department in general hospitals, are there any other mental health services that can help these patients continue medication treatment? What roles do they play specifically?

7. How is community-based mental health care organized to help these patients continue medication?

8. Did the government propose any policy or implement any programs to help these patients continue medication treatment? How do they help?

9. Are there any religious/cultural customs that may influence these patients to continue medication treatment?

10. Besides the points you just mentioned, what other situations/factors can you think of that may influence these patients to continue medication treatment?

11. What other things do you think could be done to help these patients continue medication treatment?

12. Is there anything else you would like to add that may help me better understand your perspective?

13. Do you have any questions for me?