TREATMENT COMPLIANCE AMONG OPEN ANGLE GLAUCOMA PATIENTS AT TERTIARY CARE CENTRE IN NORTHERN INDIA.
*Misra S. and Kaushal J.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Glaucoma can lead to optic nerve damage and visual field defects which can lead to blindness. So early and appropriate treatment is mandatory. However, the various ocular and systemic side-effects of anti-glaucoma drugs may affect patient compliance. Compliance with treatment is known to influence disease outcome. Non-compliance reduces treatment benefits, can affect assessment of the effectiveness of treatments and is associated with poorer prognosis. So, we carried out this study among glaucoma patients to know the incidence of non-compliance and factors influencing it. Methods: A detailed validated questionnaire designed to assess the patient compliance was used as a tool for the study. The study was conducted among 100 patients attending ophthalmology OPD in Pt. B.D.Sharma PGIMS Rohtak, Haryana. Results: Compliance to the medications was observed in 60% patients while 24% were non- complaint and 16% were over compliant. The compliance was observed better in females (75%) as compared to males (25%). It was better observed in patients of 40-59 years of age (50%) than in 60-80 years of age (30%) and 20-39 years of age (20%). Compliance was also better in educated than uneducated (58% vs 42%), married than unmarried (55% vs 45%) and in rural than urban (70% vs 30%) patients. Multiple drug therapy and increased frequency of drug usage was also shown to reduce the compliance. The most common reasons leading to non-compliance were: high cost of medicines (25%), instructions too difficult to follow (25%) lack of trust in medicines (20%). Conclusion: The study shows that patients` compliance was significantly related to sociodemographic factors. Multiple drug therapy and increased frequency of drug usage also reduced the patients` compliance. Moreover, education of the patients and Doctor-patient relationship also helps to improve patients` compliance.
Keywords: Patients compliance, Glaucoma, Adherence, Glaucoma management.
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