A study of defaulters of treatment for diabetic retinopathy.
OBJECTIVE
Diabetic retinopathy needing Argon Laser Photocoagulation requires multiple sessions of treatment and follow-up. It is not uncommon for patients to default laser treatment for various social, economic or medical reasons. This paper aims to examine the common reasons for defaulting and to evaluate the effectiveness of a "no-show" compliance programme in reducing the rate of defaultment.


METHODS
A "no-show" defaulters' compliance programme was introduced in July 1994. It was designed to recall defaulters for counselling and further laser treatment. We examined retrospectively a group of 1377 patients scheduled for Argon Laser Photocoagulation treatment at the Singapore National Eye Centre in the period July-December 1994 and compared it to another group of 1332 patients scheduled in the corresponding period in 1995 to assess the effectiveness of this programme. The common reasons for defaulting for the two periods were also reviewed and compared.


RESULTS
The results were analysed using the Chi-square test and there was a significant decrease in the default rate in 1995; p < 0.01.


CONCLUSIONS
The results showed that the "no-show" programme significantly decreased the number of defaulters over the period under study. In time, this will result in a decrease in diabetic blindness.
Chuah
C T
CT
Singapore National Eye Centre.
Yeo
K T
KT
D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003376:Counseling; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017075:Laser Coagulation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016312:Treatment Refusal