title: Racial and ethnic disparities in adherence to glaucoma follow-up visits in a county hospital population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify predictors of inconsistent attendance at glaucoma follow-up visits in a county hospital population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective recruitment from August 1, 2008, through January 31, 2009, of 152 individuals with glaucoma, with 1-to-1 matching of patients (those with inconsistent follow-up) and controls (those with consistent follow-up). Data were collected via oral questionnaire. Survey results were correlated with attendance at follow-up examinations, using the t test, χ(2) test, and multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis to calculate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After adjusting for covariates in the logistic regression analysis, factors independently associated with inconsistent follow-up included black race (adjusted OR, 7.16; 95% confidence interval, 1.64-31.24), Latino ethnicity (adjusted OR, 4.77; 1.12-20.29), unfamiliarity with necessary treatment duration (adjusted OR, 3.54; 1.26-9.94), lack of knowledge of the permanency of glaucoma-induced vision loss (adjusted OR, 3.09; 1.18-8.04), and perception that it is not important to attend all follow-up visits (adjusted OR, 3.54; 1.26-9.94).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Demographic factors, including race and ethnicity, may directly or indirectly affect adherence to recommended glaucoma follow-up visits. Lack of information regarding irreversible vision loss from glaucoma, need for lifelong treatment, and lack of visual symptoms may be significant barriers to follow-up in this population. Targeted glaucoma education by physicians may improve follow-up, thereby decreasing the morbidity associated with glaucomatous disease.
authors: Departments of Ophthalmology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA.
authors: Yohko
authors: Y
authors: Murakami
authors: Bradford W
authors: BW
authors: Lee
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Duncan
authors: Andrew
authors: A
authors: Kao
authors: Jehn-Yu
authors: JY
authors: Huang
authors: Kuldev
authors: K
authors: Singh
authors: Shan C
authors: SC
authors: Lin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000208:ethnology*; D054625:Healthcare Disparities / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006766:Hospitals, County / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009819:Office Visits / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012495:San Francisco