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Determinants of medication adherence to topical glaucoma therapy.

ABSTRACT: To determine the associations between medical, demographic, socioeconomic, and ocular factors and adherence to topical glaucoma ocular hypotensive therapy.One hundred sixteen patients with ocular hypertension or open-angle glaucoma from 2 tertiary glaucoma services participated in this prospective study. Adherence to ocular hypotensive therapy was measured using an electronic dose monitor (Travatan Dosing Aid, Alcon Laboratories Inc., Fort Worth, TX) and collected data at 3 months after enrollment. We used 3 different definitions of adherence: 1) Definition 1: the proportion of days taking the prescribed number of drops within 3 hours of the prescribed dosing time; 2) Definition 2: the proportion of days taking any drops within 3 hours of the prescribed dosing time; and 3) Definition 3: the proportion of days taking any drops within 6 hours of the prescribed dosing time. Univariate and multivariate models were used to determine the association between the 3 adherence definitions, medical, demographic, socioeconomic, and ocular factors at 3-month follow-up. The main outcome measures for this study were risk factors for poor objective medication adherence.Adherence, using Definition 1, Definition 2, and Definition 3, was 64%, 75%, and 80%, respectively. Age, total number of other eye diseases, and race were significantly associated with full treatment adherence (Definition 1), with race alone significantly predicting 11% of full treatment adherence. For Definition 2, age, income, level of education, and total number of eye diseases were significantly associated with partial adherence (3 h), again race alone significantly predicted 15% of partial adherence (any drops within 3 h). For Definition 3, race, income, level of education, and total number of other eye diseases significantly predicted partial adherence (any drops within 6 h), both race and income predicted 19% of partial treatment adherence. Significant differences for adherence rates between patients of European descent and those of African descent were found for all 3 definitions with those who were less adherent more likely to be of African descent.Electronic dose monitors provide important information regarding adherence to topical ocular hypotensive medications in glaucoma patients. Electronic dose monitors show low adherence in a significant number of participants. Future studies are needed to determine the reasons for these differences in health behaviors related to glaucoma treatment, which should guide treatment of poor adherence with glaucoma therapy.

SUBMITTER: Dreer LE

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3183317 | biostudies-other | 2012 Apr-May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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Determinants of medication adherence to topical glaucoma therapy.

Dreer Laura E LE Girkin Christopher C Girkin Christopher C Mansberger Steven L SL

Journal of glaucoma 20120401 4

<h4>Introduction/purpose</h4>To determine the associations between medical, demographic, socioeconomic, and ocular factors and adherence to topical glaucoma ocular hypotensive therapy.<h4>Methods</h4>One hundred sixteen patients with ocular hypertension or open-angle glaucoma from 2 tertiary glaucoma services participated in this prospective study. Adherence to ocular hypotensive therapy was measured using an electronic dose monitor (Travatan Dosing Aid, Alcon Laboratories Inc., Fort Worth, TX) ...[more]

PMID: 21623223

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Project description:PurposeThe majority of patients with glaucoma do not take their medications as prescribed. Estimates of the cost-utility value of adherence to prescribed glaucoma medication are vital to implement potentially effective interventions.DesignCost-utility analysis using Monte Carlo microsimulations incorporating a series of Markov cycles (10 000 iterations per strategy).ParticipantsPatients with glaucoma aged ≥40 years with a full lifetime horizon (up to 60 years).MethodsThe analysis estimated glaucomatous progression on the basis of data from the United Kingdom Glaucoma Treatment Study. Participants with glaucoma entered the model at age 40 years with a mean deviation in the better-seeing eye of -1.4±-1.9 decibels (dB) and -4.3±-3.4 dB in the worse-seeing eye. Participants whose glaucoma worsened each year accumulate -0.8 dB loss compared with -0.1 dB loss for those who remained stable. Data from the Glaucoma Laser Trial and the Tube versus Trabeculectomy Studies were used to assign probabilities of worsening disease among treated patients. Claims data estimating rates of glaucoma medication adherence over 4 years were used to assign probability of adherence. Those with poor adherence were modeled as having outcomes similar to the placebo arm of the clinical trials. As patients' mean deviation deteriorated, they transitioned between health states from mild (≥-6 dB), to moderate (<-6 to ≥-12 dB), to severe glaucoma (<-12 to ≥23 dB), to unilateral (<-20 dB) and bilateral blindness. At each health state, patients incurred the costs of treatment and established health utilities; ultimately, societal costs of low vision and blindness were included.Main outcome measuresCost and quality-adjusted life year (QALY) of glaucoma medication adherence.ResultsBeginning at an initial glaucoma diagnosis at age 40 years, patients proceeded to single-eye blindness as early as 19 years among those who were nonadherent and 23 years for those remaining adherent. Total healthcare costs for adherent patients averaged $62 782 (standard deviation [SD], 34 107), and those for nonadherent patients averaged $52 722 (SD, 38 868). Nonadherent patients had a mean loss of 0.34 QALYs, resulting in a cost-effectiveness ratio of $29 600 per QALY gained.ConclusionAt a conservative willingness to pay of $50 000/QALY, there is room to expand services to improve patient adherence.

Project description:Many glaucoma patients do not adhere to their medication regimens because they fail to internalize the (health) costs of non-adherence, which may not occur until years or decades later. Behavioural economic theory suggests that adherence rates can be improved by offering patients a near-term benefit. Our proposed strategy is to offer adherence-contingent rebates on medication and check-up costs. This form of value pricing (VP) ensures that rebates are granted only to those most likely to benefit. Moreover, by leveraging loss aversion, rebates are expected to generate a stronger behavioural response than equivalent financial rewards.The main objective of the Study on Incentives for Glaucoma Medication Adherence (SIGMA) is to test the VP approach relative to usual care (UC) in improving medication adherence. SIGMA is a randomized, controlled, open-label, single-centre superiority trial with two parallel arms. A total of 100 non-adherent (Morisky Medication Adherence Scale ?6) glaucoma patients from the Singapore National Eye Centre are block-randomized (blocking factor: single versus multiple medications users) into the VP and UC arms in a 1:1 ratio. The treatment received by VP patients will be strictly identical to that received by UC patients, with the only exception being that VP patients can earn either a 50 % or 25 % rebate on their glaucoma-related healthcare costs conditional on being adherent on at least 90 % or 75 % of days as measured by a medication event monitoring system. Masking the arm allocation will be precluded by the behavioural nature of the intervention but blocking size will not be disclosed to protect concealment. The primary outcome is the mean change from baseline in percentage of adherent days at month 6. A day will be counted as adherent when the patients take all their medication(s) within the appropriate dosing windows.This trial will provide evidence on whether adherence-contingent rebates can improve medication adherence among non-adherent glaucoma patients, and more generally whether this approach represents a promising strategy to cost-effectively improve chronic disease management.NCT02271269 . Registered on 19 October 2014.

Project description:To assess longer-term patterns of glaucoma medication adherence and identify whether patterns established during the first year of medication use persist during 3 subsequent years of follow-up.Retrospective, longitudinal cohort analysis.Beneficiaries aged ?40 years who were enrolled in a United States (US)-managed care plan for ?7 years between 2001 and 2012 and newly diagnosed and treated for open-angle glaucoma.For each enrollee, we quantified medication adherence using the medication possession ratio. Group-based trajectory modeling (GBTM) was applied to identify patterns of adherence for 1 and 4 years of follow-up. The percent of beneficiaries who remained in the same trajectory group in the 1- and 4-year models was tabulated to evaluate group stability. Factors impacting adherence at 1 and 4 years were identified using regression analyses.Patterns of glaucoma medication adherence.Of the 1234 eligible beneficiaries, GBTM identified 5 distinct glaucoma medication adherence patterns in both the 1-year and 4-year follow-up periods. These groups were as follows: (1) never adherent after their index prescription fill (7.5% and 15.6% of persons in the 1- and 4-year models, respectively); (2) persistently very poor adherence (14.9% and 23.4% of persons in the 1- and 4-year models, respectively); (3) declining adherence (9.5% and 9.1% of persons in the 1- and 4-year models, respectively); (4) persistently moderate adherence (48.1% and 37.0% of persons in the 1- and 4-year models, respectively); and (5) persistently good adherence (20.0% and 15.0% of persons in the 1- and 4-year models, respectively). More than 90% of beneficiaries in the 4 groups with the worst and best adherence patterns (groups 1, 2, 3, 5) maintained their patterns from their first year throughout their 4 years of follow-up. Those with persistently moderate adherence (group 4), the largest group, were most likely to change groups from 1 to 4 years of follow-up. Persons with the best adherence over 4 years were more likely to be white, to be older, to earn >$60 000/year, and to have more eye care visits (P < 0.05 for all comparisons). Those with a higher initial copayment cost had lower adherence rates (? = -0.06/dollar, P = 0.03).For most patients who were newly prescribed glaucoma medications, adherence patterns observed in the first year of treatment reflect adherence patterns over the subsequent 3 years. Investing resources in both identifying and helping patients with suboptimal adherence patterns over the first year may have a large impact on longer-term adherence.

Project description:PurposeTo assess possible changes in medication adherence to prostaglandin analog (PGA) regimens among patients with open-angle glaucoma (OAG) after the initial introduction of generic PGAs.DesignLongitudinal cohort analysis.ParticipantsPatients older than 40 years with OAG continuously enrolled in a nationwide managed-care network during 2009-2012 who used PGAs.MethodsMean adherence rates were calculated for topical PGA use during the 18 months before the introduction of generic latanoprost (September 2009-February 2011) and the 18 months after generic latanoprost became available (July 2011-December 2012). The rates were compared between persons who continued to use brand-name PGAs once generic latanoprost became available and others who switched to generic latanoprost. Multivariable logistic regression identified variables associated with an improvement or worsening of adherence of ≥25%.Main outcome measuresMean adherence rates and odds of 25% or more improved or worsened adherence (with 95% confidence intervals [CIs]).ResultsA total of 8427 patients met the study eligibility criteria. Compared with persons switching to generic latanoprost, patients who continued taking brand name PGAs were 28% less likely to have improved adherence (odds ratio [OR], 0.72; 95% CI, 0.55-0.94) and 39% more likely to have reduced adherence (OR, 1.39; 1.04-1.86) of ≥25%. Improved adherence after the generic drug's introduction was also associated with higher monthly medication copay in the pregeneric period (P = 0.02), lower copay after introduction of the generic drug (P < 0.0001), and black race (OR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.04-1.50). Six-hundred twelve patients (7.3%) discontinued all antiglaucoma interventions when generic latanoprost became available.ConclusionsGiven that cost can significantly deter adherence, switching patients to generic medications may help improve patients' drug-regimen adherence. A considerable number of patients discontinued glaucoma drug use altogether when generic latanoprost became available. Ophthalmologists should work with insurers and pharmacists to prevent such discontinuation of use as generic forms of other PGA agents become available.

Project description:PurposeTo assess the efficacy of the Support, Educate, Empower (SEE) glaucoma coaching program on medication adherence among glaucoma patients with low adherence.DesignUncontrolled intervention study with a pre-post design.ParticipantsGlaucoma patients ≥ age 40, taking ≥1 medication, who self-reported poor adherence were recruited from the University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center. Adherence was monitored electronically for a 3-month baseline period; participants with median adherence of ≤80% were enrolled in the SEE program.MethodsParticipants' adherence was monitored electronically (AdhereTech, New York, NY) during the 7-month program. Adherence was calculated as the percentage of doses taken on time of those prescribed. The SEE program included (1) automated medication reminders, (2) 3 in-person counseling sessions with a glaucoma coach who had training in motivational interviewing (MI), and (3) 5 phone calls with the same coach for between-session support. The coach used a web-based tool to generate an education plan tailored to the patient's glaucoma diagnosis, test results, and ophthalmologist's recommendations (www.glaucomaeyeguide.org). The tool guided an MI-based conversation between coach and patient to identify barriers to adherence and possible solutions. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize baseline patient characteristics, and differences between those who did and did not complete the SEE program were tested with 2-sample t tests, chi-square tests, and Fisher exact tests. Adherence was compared before and after the SEE program with paired t tests.Main outcome measureChange in electronically monitored medication adherence.ResultsA total of 48 participants were enrolled. The participants were 54% male, 46% white, and on average 64 years of age (standard deviation [SD], 10.8 years), with an average worse-eye mean deviation (MD) of -7.9 dB (SD, 8.8 dB). Those completing the SEE program (n = 39) did not differ significantly from those who dropped out (n = 9) on gender, race, age, MD, or baseline adherence. Medication adherence improved from 59.9% at baseline to 81.3% (P < 0.0001) after completing the SEE program. Ninety-five percent of participants showed an improvement in adherence (mean relative improvement, 21.4%; SD, 16.5%; range, -3.2% to 74.4%; median, 20.1%). Fifty-nine percent of participants showed adherence of >80% on completing the SEE program.ConclusionsThe SEE program participants showed clinically meaningful, statistically significant improvement in glaucoma medication adherence.

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Determinants of medication adherence to topical glaucoma therapy.

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Determinants of medication adherence to topical glaucoma therapy.

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