Knowledge about glaucoma and barriers to follow-up care in a community glaucoma screening program.
OBJECTIVE
To assess perceived barriers to glaucoma follow-up care, including the lack of glaucoma knowledge and the lack of health care access, among participants in a community glaucoma screening program.


METHODS
Community survey.


METHODS
Two hundred forty-three consecutive participants in a series of free glaucoma screenings between November 2002 and August 2003.


METHODS
The survey consisted of 20 questions designed to elicit knowledge of glaucoma and perception of potential barriers to follow-up care. Our aim was to find correlations between patient demographics and knowledge of glaucoma as well as perceived potential barriers to follow-up care. The data were analyzed using SPSS, v. 10.1.


RESULTS
The average age of the respondents was 70 years, and females predominated (66%). About half of the respondents knew of an eye doctor in their neighborhood, and 60% had had an eye examination in the past year. Two hundred twenty-two (91%) indicated they could get to an eye doctor if the screening examination indicated they needed a follow-up examination. Two hundred twenty (90.5%) had medical insurance. One hundred seventy-eight (73%) of the participants had heard of glaucoma; 71 (29%) identified an accurate definition of glaucoma. The level of education and the language spoken at home were correlated with both glaucoma awareness (p < 0.001; p < 0.001) and knowledge of an accurate definition of glaucoma (p < 0.001; p < 0.025).


CONCLUSIONS
In this population, a lack of adequate education about glaucoma may be more significantly associated with poor follow-up rates than a lack of access to care in those identified as glaucoma suspects.
Altangerel
Undraa
U
Glaucoma Service, Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Nallamshetty
Hema S
HS
Uhler
Tara
T
Fontanarosa
Joann
J
Steinmann
William C
WC
Almodin
Juliana M
JM
Chen
Brian H
BH
Henderer
Jeffrey D
JD
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D003941:Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006302:Health Services Research; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires