Abstract
Purpose :
Medication adherence self-efficacy describes patients’ perceived ability to use their medication as prescribed. In glaucoma, older age is associated with lower medication adherence. In this analysis, we aimed to determine whether older age was also associated with lower medication adherence self-efficacy.
Methods :
To be included in this analysis, patients needed to have a diagnosis of primary open-angle glaucoma and be using hypotensive eye drops. Medication adherence self-efficacy was assessed using the glaucoma medication adherence self-efficacy scale. Scores on this instrument range from 0-30, with higher scores indicating greater perceived ability. Multiple linear regression was used to quantify the relationship between clinical variables and medication adherence self-efficacy score.
Results :
Eighty patients were included in this analysis. Mean (SD) age was 69.7 (8.1) years. Approximately 56% of patients were female (n = 44) and 54% identified as White (n = 43). Mean (SD) medication adherence was 86.1% (18.3) and mean (SD) medication adherence self-efficacy score was 23.9 (6.72). Older age predicted lower medication adherence self-efficacy (B = -.349, p < .001). Older age did not predict lower medication adherence in this analysis.
Conclusions :
Research shows that older glaucoma patients face additional barriers to optimal medication adherence such as polypharmacy, regimen complexity, and limited dexterity. Our finding that older age predicted lower medication adherence self-efficacy suggests that barriers to medication adherence may also negatively affect medication adherence self-efficacy. As such, behavioral interventions that target medication adherence self-efficacy and other perceptions about treatment may also help to improve treatment outcomes such as medication adherence.
This abstract was presented at the 2024 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, WA, May 5-9, 2024.