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Abstract #108529 Published in IGR 23-4
Factors Affecting Follow-Up Adherence of Glaucoma Patients
Singh A; Udayakumar B; Duraisamy Ravilla T; Ponnappan V; Krishnadas R; Satyavageeswaran POphthalmic Epidemiology 2023; 0: 1-9
PURPOSE: The objective of our study is to understand the factors associated with non-adherence to the physician's follow-up advice by persons with glaucoma. METHODS: We use a four-year panel dataset containing demographic, clinical, and intervention details and doctor's advised follow-up date for a random sample of 2,622 glaucoma patients from an Indian tertiary eye care hospital. We model this unique "advised follow-up date" in multivariate logistic regressions to identify factors associated with patients' coming early or late as against on-time. An OLS regression also examines an association between delayed follow-up and declining visual acuity. RESULTS: Demographic variables such as age, gender, distance to hospital, IOP, and visual acuity were not associated with delayed adherence to follow-up. Patients advised to review within 2 months ( < .001), paying patients ( < .001), and those habituated to routine follow-up (diabetes patients) ( < .01) are less likely to delay care-seeking. Patients are more likely to come on-time in visits immediately after clinical interventions relative to later ones ( < .001). Our second analysis reveals the presence of cataract and the very first post-surgery visit as factors influencing patients to come early. Our third analysis reveals that a higher proportion of delayed visits had resulted in worsening of vision in the glaucoma-affected eye. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that active counselling by doctors, especially for routine follow-up visits, can help in better follow-up adherence and prevention of glaucoma-related visual impairment.
Mays Business School, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA.
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