Communication Predicts Medication Self-Efficacy in Glaucoma Patients

Medication self-efficacy, or patients’ confidence that they can perform medication-related behaviors, is associated with better glaucoma medication adherence. Little is known about how to enhance glaucoma patients’ medication self-efficacy. Our purpose is to examine whether patient-provider communication increases glaucoma patients’ medication self-efficacy

Accuracy of Patient-reported Adherence to Glaucoma Medications on a Visual Analog Scale Compared With Electronic Monitors

Glaucoma medications can reduce intraocular pressure and improve clinical outcomes when patients adhere to their medication regimen. Providers often ask glaucoma patients to self-report their adherence, but the accuracy of this self-report method has received little scientific attention. Our purpose was to compare a self-report medication adherence measure with adherence data collected from Medication Event Monitoring Systems (MEMS) electronic monitors. Additionally, we sought to identify which patient characteristics were associated with over-reporting adherence on the self-reported measure

Exploring the influence of patient-provider communication on intraocular pressure in glaucoma patients

We examined whether six patient-provider communication behaviors directly affected the intraocular pressure (IOP) of glaucoma patients or whether patient medication adherence and eye drop technique mediated the relationship between self-efficacy, communication, and IOP

Ophthalmologist–Patient Communication, Self-efficacy, and Glaucoma Medication Adherence

The objective of the study was to examine the association between provider-patient communication, glaucoma medication adherence self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and glaucoma medication adherence

Communication Predicts Medication Self-Efficacy in Glaucoma Patients

PURPOSE: Medication self-efficacy, or patients’ confidence that they can perform medication-related behaviors, is associated with better glaucoma medication adherence. Little is known about how to enhance glaucoma patients’ medication self-efficacy. Our purpose is to examine whether patient-provider communication increases glaucoma patients’ medication self-efficacy. METHODS: During an 8-month cohort study of 279 glaucoma patients and 15 providers, two office visits were videotape-recorded, transcribed, and coded for six patient-provider communication behaviors. A validated scale was used at baseline and 8-month follow-up to assess patients’ confidence in overcoming adherence barriers (adherence barriers self-efficacy) and carrying out tasks to use eye drops correctly (eye drop task self-efficacy). We ran two generalized estimating equations to examine whether more frequent patient-provider communication during office visits predicted increased patient adherence barriers self-efficacy and eye drop task self-efficacy at 8-month follow-up. RESULTS: For each additional topic providers educated about, patients reported an average increase of 0.35 in self-efficacy in overcoming adherence barriers (p<0.001). Patients also reported an average increase of 1.01 points in eye drop task self-efficacy when providers asked about patients’ views of glaucoma and its treatment versus not (p<0.001). Patients who asked more medication questions (p<0.001) and African American patients (p<0.05) reported lower adherence barriers self-efficacy by 0.30 and 2.15 points, respectively. Women had a 0.63 lower eye drop task self-efficacy than men (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: When providers educate glaucoma patients and assess patient views about glaucoma and its treatment, patients report higher medication self-efficacy. Providers should be aware that patients who ask more medication questions may have less confidence in their ability to overcome barriers to adherence

Provider Education about Glaucoma and Glaucoma Medications during Videotaped Medical Visits

Objective. The purpose of this study was to examine how patient, physician, and situational factors are associated with the extent to which providers educate patients about glaucoma and glaucoma medications, and which patient and provider characteristics are associated with whether providers educate patients about glaucoma and glaucoma medications. Methods. Patients with glaucoma who were newly prescribed or on glaucoma medications were recruited and a cross-sectional study was conducted at six ophthalmology clinics. Patients’ visits were videotape recorded and patients were interviewed after visits. Generalized estimating equations were used to analyze the data. Results. Two hundred and seventy-nine patients participated. Providers were significantly more likely to educate patients about glaucoma and glaucoma medications if they were newly prescribed glaucoma medications. Providers were significantly less likely to educate African American patients about glaucoma. Providers were significantly less likely to educate patients of lower health literacy about glaucoma medications. Conclusion. Eye care providers did not always educate patients about glaucoma or glaucoma medications. Practice Implications. Providers should consider educating more patients about what glaucoma is and how it is treated so that glaucoma patients can better understand their disease. Even if a patient has already been educated once, it is important to reinforce what has been taught before

Accuracy of Patient-reported Adherence to Glaucoma Medications on a Visual Analog Scale Compared With Electronic Monitors

Glaucoma medications can reduce intraocular pressure and improve clinical outcomes when patients adhere to their medication regimen. Providers often ask glaucoma patients to self-report their adherence, but the accuracy of this self-report method has received little scientific attention. Our purpose was to compare a self-report medication adherence measure with adherence data collected from Medication Event Monitoring Systems (MEMS) electronic monitors. Additionally, we sought to identify which patient characteristics were associated with over-reporting adherence on the self-reported measure