Analysing the demographics and adherence to topical eye drops among Ghana glaucoma patients attending a deprived eye-care centre

Abstract

Abstract Background Glaucoma describes a group of ocular disorders with multi-factorial aetiology characterised by raised intraocular pressure and associated optic neuropathy. Globally, it is the leading cause of irreversible blindness. Several studies on clients’ adherence to medications have shown that many clients do not adhere to medication regimens, and this is a significant factor leading to the various complications of the disease. This study determined the factors that influenced the adherence of glaucoma patients to topical eye drops in Ho Teaching Hospital (HTH).Methods This cross-sectional study involved glaucoma patients aged 18 years and above on topical eye drops who attended the eye clinic of HTH. The questionnaires administered obtained data from the patients and exported to STATA version 16 for cleaning and analysis at a significant level of 0.05.Results More than half (59.7%), 25.8% (32) and only 14.5% (18) showed low, moderate, and high adherence, respectively. There was a significant association between clients’ response to glaucoma leading to blindness, glaucoma treatment preventing complications and adherence (χ2 = 6.25, p = 0.044) and (χ2 = 6.26, p = 0.044), respectively. The length of glaucoma medication usage (χ = 25.29, p = 0.001), number of drugs (χ 2 = 15.25, p = 0.002), distance from the place of residence to the hospital (x2 = 10.02, p = 0.007), coming for regular review (x2 = 33.81, p = < 0.001) and number of times medication is applied to the eye per day (χ 2 = 15.95, p = 0.001) were statistically associated to adherence to glaucoma medication.Conclusion The level of adherence to medication among respondents was low. Factors influencing medication adherence included proximity to the health facility and reporting for regular reviews. Having glaucoma, being on medication over a more extended period and providing further clarification on the drug regimen influenced the adherence rate among respondents. We recommend that health workers offer detailed and clear instructions on instilling medication to improve glaucoma medication adherence.