Rimal B Bera

Rimal B. Bera, DFAPA, MD is a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) School of Medicine. Her research focuses on improving schizophrenia treatment through long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotic therapy.

Key research themes include

• Prescriber-patient decision-making dynamics
• LAI therapy adoption barriers
• Patient engagement in psychiatric care
• Therapeutic relationship optimization

Notable findings from her work demonstrate that only 25% of LAI discussions involve patient/caregiver input compared to 8% for oral treatments. Her team observed that 58% of LAI-naïve patients accept injectable therapy after addressing initial resistance.

Her publications analyze critical aspects like

• Symptom improvement rates
• Treatment adherence patterns
• Prescriber concerns about side effects
• Cultural/racial differences in medication perspectives
• Structural challenges in community mental health centers