title: Glaucoma patient-provider communication about vision quality-of-life.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to: (a) describe the extent to which ophthalmologists and glaucoma patients discuss vision quality-of-life during office visits, and (b) examine the association between patient and ophthalmologist characteristics and provider-patient communication about vision quality-of-life.
  
  
  
  Patients with glaucoma who were newly prescribed or on glaucoma medications were recruited at six ophthalmology clinics. Patients' visits were video-tape recorded and quality-of-life communication variables were coded. Generalized estimating equations were used to analyze the data.
  
  
  
  Two hundred and seventy-nine patients participated. Specific glaucoma quality-of-life domains were discussed during only 13% of visits. Older patients were significantly more likely to discuss one or more vision quality-of-life domains than younger patients. African American patients were significantly less likely to make statements about their vision quality-of-life and providers were less likely to ask them one or more vision quality-of-life questions than non-African American patients.
  
  
  
  Eye care providers and patients infrequently discussed the patient's vision quality-of-life during glaucoma visits. African American patients were less likely to communicate about vision quality-of-life than non-African American patients.
  
  
  
  Eye care providers should make sure to discuss vision quality-of-life with glaucoma patients.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB# 7573, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7573, USA; Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB # 7590, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7590, USA. Electronic address: betsy_sleath@unc.edu.
authors.forename: Betsy
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sleath
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB# 7573, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7573, USA. Electronic address: sayner@unc.edu.
authors.forename: Robyn
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sayner
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB# 7573, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7573, USA. Electronic address: mlvitko@email.unc.edu.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vitko
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB# 7573, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7573, USA. Electronic address: dmcarpenter@unc.edu.
authors.forename: Delesha M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Carpenter
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB# 7573, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7573, USA. Electronic address: s_blalock@unc.edu.
authors.forename: Susan J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Blalock
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Duke University and Durham VA Medical Center, Health Services Research and Development, 2351 Erwin Rd #3802, Durham, NC 27705, USA. Electronic address: muir0009@mc.duke.edu.
authors.forename: Kelly W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Muir
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmology, Emory University School of Medicine, 1365B Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. Electronic address: agianci@emory.edu.
authors.forename: Annette L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Giangiacomo
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, John A. Moran Eye Center University of Utah, 65 N Mario Capecchi, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA. Electronic address: ME.Hartnett@hsc.utah.edu.
authors.forename: Mary Elizabeth
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Hartnett
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmology and International Health, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 600 N Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA; Department of Ophthalmology, University of Maryland, 419 West Redwood St., Suite 420, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; Department of Ophthalmology, University of Michigan, 1000 Wall St., Ann Arbor, MI 48105, USA. Electronic address: arobin@glaucomaexpert.com.
authors.forename: Alan L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Robin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003142:Communication; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009819:Office Visits; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000379:methods*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011788:Quality of Life; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014743:Videotape Recording; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Communication; Glaucoma; Patient question-asking; Quality-of-life; Vision loss