Glaucoma Patients’ Adherence to Therapy: Qualitative Research
Keywords:
adherence to therapy, glaucoma patients, qualitative researchAbstract
Objective: To describe glaucoma patients’ defnition of ‘adherence to therapy’and to identify factors contributing to the patients’ adherence to therapy.
Design: Qualitative research.
Methodology: The informants in this study were ten purposively sampled patients ophthalmologically diagnosed with glaucoma. Data were collected from January to June,2017, using in-depth interviews along with non-participatory observation and feld records.The data were analysed using content analysis.
Results: The informants defned ‘adherence to therapy’ as following the ophthalmologist’s instructions by using eye-drops or taking the medication as prescribed, attending follow-up visits and adjusting their behaviour through self-regulation. The factors identifed as contributing to the patients’ adherence to therapy were 1) fear of blindness; 2) intention to fulfll life goals; 3) confdence in health-care personnel; 4) support from families; and 5) suffcient knowledge of the therapy.
Recommendations: This study helped build an understanding of ‘adherence to therapy’ based on glaucoma patients’ experiential point of view. The fndings of this study could serve as primary data for the development of glaucoma therapy guidelines,which could prevent permanent blindness.
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