Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: To determine barriers to seeking follow-up care for eye disease in Latinos. Methods: LALES is a population-based prevalence study of ocular disease in Latinos. All participants received a complete ophthalmic examination. If the participant was found to have an eye diseases they were referred for follow-up care with a local eye care provider. Participants received referrals to obtain follow-up either as an emergency, within one week, or within one month. Each participant who received a referral was contacted by phone to determine if they had obtained follow-up care. If the participant had not received follow-up care, barriers to seeking follow-up care were elucidated. Each participant was interviewed in his or her language of choice (English/Spanish) by a trained bilingual interviewer. Barriers to seeking follow-up care included questions on cost, convenience, and access. Furthermore, the association between social support and obtaining follow-up care was assessed using a chi-square analysis. Results: Of the 201 participants who were referred for follow-up care 70% (141) obtained follow-up care. Of the remaining 30% (60) who did not obtain follow-up care, 52% (31) stated cost, 22% (13) stated access, and 20% (12) stated convenience as major barriers to seeking follow-up care. Self reported social support was associated with obtaining follow-up care (p< 0.0001). Conclusion: A high proportion of Latinos in this survey did not report barriers to seeking follow-up care. The major barriers to obtaining follow-up care include cost, access, and convenience. Individuals with perceived social support had a greater likelihood of obtaining follow-up care.
Keywords: 354 clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: prevalence/incidence • 355 clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: risk factor assessment • 350 clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: biostatistics/epidemiology methodology