No abstract

Objective The purpose of the study was to examine: (a) how patient adherence and eye drop technique were associated with visual field defect severity and (b) how general glaucoma adherence self-efficacy and eye drop technique self-efficacy were related to visual field defect severity. Design Cross-sectional study conducted at a single private practice site. Participants Patients on eye drops for their glaucoma. Methods We measured subjects’ adherence to glaucoma medications through Medication Events Monitoring System (MEMS) devices and assessed eye drop instillation technique by video-recording. We measured general glaucoma medication adherence self-efficacy using a 10-item scale and eye drop technique self-efficacy using a 6-item scale. Multivariable logistic regression was used to analyze the data. Main outcome measures Visual field defect severity. Results Patients who were less than 80% adherent according to the MEMS caps were significantly more likely to have worse defect severity. Patients with lower scores on the general glaucoma medication adherence self-efficacy scale were also significantly more likely to have worse defect severity. Eye drop technique and eye drop technique self-efficacy were not significantly related to visual field defect severity. Conclusions Eye care providers need to assess patient adherence and work with those patients with poor adherence to find ways to improve their ability and self-efficacy in using their glaucoma medications.

No abstract

The PDC provides a more conservative estimate of adherence than the MPR across all types of users; however, the differences between the 2 methods are more substantial for persons switching therapy and prescribed therapeutic duplication, where MPR may overstate true adherence. The PDC should be considered when a measure of adherence to a class of medications is sought, particularly in clinical situations in which multiple medications within a class are often used concurrently.

No abstract

OBJECTIVE: Our objectives were to examine how certain aspects of provider-patient communication recommended by national asthma guidelines (ie, provider asking for child and caregiver input into the asthma treatment plan) were associated with child asthma medication adherence 1 month after an audio-taped medical visit. METHODS: Children ages 8 through 16 with mild, moderate, or severe persistent asthma and their caregivers were recruited at 5 pediatric practices in nonurban areas of North Carolina. All medical visits were audio-tape recorded. Children were interviewed 1 month after their medical visits, and both children and caregivers reported the child’s control medication adherence. Generalized estimating equations were used to determine if communication during the medical visit was associated with medication adherence 1 month later. RESULTS: Children (n = 259) completed a home visit interview ∼1 month after their audio-taped visit, and 216 of these children were taking an asthma control medication at the time of the home visit. Children reported an average control medication adherence for the past week of 72%, whereas caregivers reported the child’s average control medication adherence for the past week was 85%. Child asthma management self-efficacy was significantly associated with both child- and caregiver-reported control medication adherence. When providers asked for caregiver input into the asthma treatment plan, caregivers reported significantly higher child medication adherence 1 month later. CONCLUSIONS: Providers should ask for caregiver input into their child’s asthma treatment plan because it may lead to better control medication adherence.

WHAT'S KNOWN ON THIS SUBJECT:Little is known about the extent to which providers model proper use of asthma devices to children or the extent to which providers have the children demonstrate how they use their devices during medical visits. WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS:The majority of providers did not demonstrate or assess child use of metered dose inhalers, turbuhalers, diskuses, or peak flow meters during pediatric asthma visits.abstract OBJECTIVE: The purposes of this study were to (a) describe the extent to which children use metered dose inhalers, turbuhalers, diskuses, and peak flow meters correctly, and (b) investigate how often providers assess and demonstrate use of metered dose inhalers, turbuinhalers, diskuses, and peak flow meters during pediatric asthma visits. PATIENTS AND METHODS:Children ages 8 through 16 with mild, moderate, or severe persistent asthma and their caregivers were recruited at 5 pediatric practices in nonurban areas of North Carolina. All of the medical visits were audiotape-recorded. Children were interviewed after their medical visits, and their device technique was observed and rated by the research assistants. RESULTS:Of the patients, 296 had useable audiotape data. Only 8.1% of children performed all of the metered dose inhaler steps correctly. Older children were more likely to get more of the metered dose inhaler steps correct. Of the children, 22% performed all of the diskus steps correctly, 15.6% performed all of the turbuhaler steps correctly, and 24% performed all of the peak flow meter steps correctly. The majority of providers did not demonstrate or assess child use of metered dose inhalers, turbuhalers, diskuses, or peak flow meters during pediatric asthma visits.

Objective To estimate the effect of two separate policy changes in the North Carolina Medicaid program; the first reduced prescription lengths from 100 to 34 days' supply and the second increased copayments for brand name medications. Data Sources/Study Setting Medicaid claims data were obtained from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for January 1, 2000 – December 31, 2002. Study Design We used a pre-post controlled partial difference-in-difference-in-differences (DDD) design to examine the effect of the policy change on adults in North Carolina; adult Medicaid recipients from Georgia served as controls. Outcomes examined include medication adherence and Medicaid expenditures. Data Collection/Extraction Methods Data were aggregated to the person-quarter level. Individuals in HMOs, nursing homes, pregnant or deceased in the quarter were excluded. Principal Findings Both policies decreased medication adherence. The days' supply policy had a much larger effect on adherence than did the copayment increase. Total Medicaid spending declined from the days' supply policy but the copayment policy resulted in a net increase in Medicaid expenditures. Conclusions Although Medicaid costs decreased with the change in days supply policy, these savings were due to reduced adherence to these chronic medications. Additional research should examine the effect of these policy changes from the perspective of Medicaid enrollees.