Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose:To evaluate predictors for non–compliance with occlusion therapy for amblyopia. Methods:In our ongoing prospective, randomised, controlled trial, compliance is measured electronically during 1 week every 3 months in all newly diagnosed amblyopic children in The Hague, with additional children in Frankfurt and Leicester. To identify predictors for non–compliance we assessed: country of origin, religion, working hours per week, level of education, marital status, child’s daily curriculum and family size, logistics of visits to the clinic and treatment, co–morbidity’s of the child, manufacture, properties and side–effects of the patch, parental knowledge and parents’ perception of amblyopia and patching according to Rogers’ Protection Motivation Theory. A supplementary questionnaire was developed for school or day care centres. Univariate analysis was performed to assess the influence of the various parameters on the level of compliance. Half of the children received, in addition to standard orthoptic care, treatment for non–compliance, but these results will be evaluated after inclusion has been completed.Results:83% of 326 eligible children have been included; mean age was 4.6 years with and 53% was of foreign origin. At the first measurement compliance for both groups together averaged 74%, after 6 months 60% and after 1 year 61%. Significant predictors for non–compliance were low initial acuity, country of origin, working hours per week, level of education, logistics of treatment, level of distress of parents and child, parental attitude towards the treatment, and the number of prescribed occlusion hours (children prescribed 3 hours patched 2 hours and children prescribed 6 hours patched 3 hours). Conclusions:Important predictors for non–compliance were country of origin, low initial acuity, level of distress and the number of prescribed hours.
Keywords: amblyopia • strabismus