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Abstract #47779 Published in IGR 13-4
Patient acceptance and attitude toward an alternative method of subconjunctival injection for the medical treatment of glaucoma
Chong RS; Su D; Tsai A; Jiang Y; Htoon HM; Lamoureux EL; Aung T; Wong TTJournal of Glaucoma 2011;
PURPOSE: Nonadherence to glaucoma medications may be a major cause of treatment failure. We examined the acceptance of glaucoma patients toward a possible new route of administering glaucoma medication by subconjunctival injection. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients were recruited from specialist glaucoma clinics on a voluntary basis. Trained interviewers administered a 30-item questionnaire and an information sheet with details of an alternative subconjunctival injection route involving injections at 3-month intervals. Outcome measures regarding acceptance of the new procedure, social situational factors, disease factors, and treatment factors were assessed. RESULTS: A total of 151 patients participated in this study. Of the 151 patients 112 (74.2%) were willing to have their glaucoma medication given by the new method of subconjunctival injection, 101 of 112 (90.2%) were willing to accept it at the same cost as their present medication, and 87 of 101 (86.1%) were willing to accept it even at a higher cost. These patients tended to be on a greater number of medications (P=0.006), and medicating more frequently in a day (P=0.003). Nine of 10 (90%) patients who were admitted to nonadherence were willing to accept subconjunctival injections at 3-month intervals in place of their topical medication. CONCLUSIONS: Our study found that 74% of glaucoma patients were willing to accept an alternative form of glaucoma treatment through 3-monthly subconjunctival injections. A large proportion of patients who were admitted to nonadherence to topical medication were willing to consider this alternative method of medication. Our findings are helpful when developing patient-acceptable drug-delivery regimes, which may alleviate the need for daily medication.
R. S. Chong.
Classification:
11.16 Vehicles, delivery systems, pharmacokinetics, formulation (Part of: 11 Medical treatment)
11.17 Cooperation with medical therapy e.g. persistency, compliance, adherence (Part of: 11 Medical treatment)
