Factors Associated with Non-compliance for Diabetic Retinopathy Follow-up in an Urban Safety-Net Hospital. (2nd November 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chen, Allison J.; Hwang, Vicky; Law, Pui Yee; Stewart, Jay M.; Chao, Daniel L.
• Is Part Of: Ophthalmic epidemiology. Volume 25:Number 5/6(2018)
• Page Start: 443
• Page End: 450
• Publication Date: 2018-11-02
• Subjects: Risk factors -- non-compliance -- diabetic retinopathy -- follow-up; Blindness -- Prevention -- Periodicals; Eye -- Diseases -- Epidemiology -- Periodicals; Ophthalmology -- Periodicals; 614.5997
• DOI: 10.1080/09286586.2018.1504311
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0928-6586

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Purpose : Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the leading cause of preventable blindness in working-aged adults, and compliance in ophthalmic follow-up appointments is critical to prevent vision loss. However, barriers to follow-up care have not been well studied, especially in socio-economically disadvantaged groups. We investigated the risk factors for non-compliance to DR follow-up appointments in a safety-net county hospital. Methods : Two hundred and nine patients who were treated for DR at the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital retina clinic between 1 July 2015 and 30 January 2016 were enrolled in the study. Multivariate logistic regression analysis of demographic and medical information was used to determine independent risk factors for non-compliance to DR follow-up appointments. Results : The mean patient age was 58 years. Sixty-three percent (132/209) of patients were male; the mean haemoglobin A1c level was 8.5 (SD 0.14). Forty-six percent (97/209) of patients attended <80% of their DR follow-up appoinments. Independent risk factors for non-compliance after multivariate logistic regression analysis were diabetic foot involvement [OR: 2.40, 95% CI: (1.04–5.55)] and foot/kidney involvement [OR: 3.79 (1.35–10.5)], history of major depressive disorder (MDD) [OR: 2.11 (1.05–4.26), and having Medi-Cal [OR: 5.01 (2.00–12.5)] or SF Health insurance [OR: 6.79 (2.14–21.5)]. Conclusions and Relevance : In conclusion, this is the first study to identify diabetic end organ damage and MDD as independent risk factors for non-compliance in DR follow-up appointments. It is important that health care providers identify these patient subsets and increase efforts to more deliberately encourage follow-up in these high-risk patient groups for DR.