Abstract
Purpose: :
To study compliance to topical anti glaucoma medications in patients of primary open angle glaucoma and primary angle closure glaucoma in the Indian population and to assess barriers affecting complaince
Methods: :
A cross sectional study of 165 patients of primary open angle and primary angle closure glaucoma recruited from out patient services of a tertiary care eye facility using semi structured questionnaire was performed.(Compliance being defined as missing of 1 or more doses in the past one month).Factors leading to non-compliance were classified into three categories-situational,provider and regimen related.Health literacy was assessed using a questionnaire.
Results: :
The mean age of patients was 60.2 + 11.6 years (105 males and 60 females). One hundred and twenty patients(72.72%)were found to be non-compliant.A health literacy score of more than 50% was found in sixty patients(36.36%)Out of the patients who were non-compliant with their medications,75% were literate(literate being defined as able to read and write).80 patients(48.48%) missed 1 day of dosing,while 10 patients (0.06%)missed more than 3 days.6 patients (0.036%)had not taken the medications for more than one month in the past one year.The factors leading to non-compliance were Situational(150 patients,90.9%),Regimen related(10 patients,0.06%)Provider related(5patients,0.030%).The three most common situational obstacles to compliance were forgetfulness(50%),travelling(30%),non availability of drug due to lack of money(15%).The most common cause of non-compliance due to regimen was poor tolerability to medications.Non-compliance due to provider factors was attributed to the non-communication of the need to take anti glaucome medications life long.
Conclusions: :
High rates of non-compliance were seen in the Indian population.The most common causes leading to non-compliance were situational factors.
Keywords: clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: biostatistics/epidemiology methodology • intraocular pressure • clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: health care delivery/economics/manpower