[Noncompliance with programmed appointments in dyslipidemia patients in pharmacologic treatment].
OBJECTIVE
To find the non-compliance of patients with Lipaemia with scheduled appointments, to define the profile of non-attending patients and to study the best way of identifying them.


METHODS
Prospective study.


METHODS
Primary Care Centres in the province of Alicante.


METHODS
107 patients with Lipaemia from five General Medical clinics who received treatment with lipid-lowering drugs.


RESULTS
Non-compliance was assessed by reviewing the appointment books. Non-compliant patients were defined as those who had not attended 80-100% of the appointments made in the six months since the beginning of the study. Non-compliance with appointments was 16.8% (CI: 9.7-23.9). In the profile study none of the variables analysed showed significant differences. Of the methods validated, level of knowledge had the highest sensitivity (88.9%: CI 81.9-94.1); and medical judgement the greatest specificity (86.5%: CI 79.5-92.5), with the coefficient for probability of low compliance 2.9 and best Kappa index 0.25.


CONCLUSIONS
One out of every six patients with Lipaemia does not attend follow-up appointments. There is no profile of the non-compliant patient. Only medical judgement can be valid for suspecting non-compliance with scheduled appointments.
Piñeiro Chousa
F
F
Departamento de Medicina, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Alicante.
Gil Guillén
V F
VF
Pastor López
R
R
Donis Otero
M
M
Torres Rodríguez
M T
MT
Merino Sánchez
J
J
D000368:Aged; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
El incumplimiento a las citas programadas en los pacientes dislipémicos con tratamiento farmacológico.