Objective The purpose of this study was to examine: (a) the extent to which caregivers and children asked asthma management questions during pediatric asthma visits, (b) the extent to which providers engaged in shared decision-making with these caregivers and children, and (c) the factors associated with question-asking and shared decision-making. Methods Children ages 8 through 16 with mild, moderate, or severe persistent asthma and their caregivers were recruited at five pediatric practices in non-urban areas of North Carolina. All of the medical visits were audio-tape recorded. Generalized estimating equations were used to analyze the data. Results Only 13% of children and 33% of caregivers asked one or more questions about asthma management. Caregivers were most likely to ask questions about their child’s medications. Providers obtained child input into their asthma management treatment plan during only 6% of encounters and caregiver input into their child’s asthma management treatment plan during 10% of visits. Conclusion Given the importance of involving patients during health care visits, providers need to consider asking for and including child and caregiver input into asthma management treatment plans so that shared decision-making can occur more frequently.

Objective The objective of the study was to examine the association between provider-patient communication, glaucoma medication adherence self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and glaucoma medication adherence. Design Prospective observational cohort study. Participants 279 patients with glaucoma who were newly prescribed or on glaucoma medications were recruited at six ophthalmology clinics. Methods Patients’ visits were video-tape recorded and communication variables were coded using a detailed coding tool developed by the authors. Adherence was measured using Medication Event Monitoring Systems for 60 days after their visits. Main outcome measures The following adherence variables were measured for the 60 day period after their visits: whether the patient took 80% or more of the prescribed doses, percent correct number of prescribed doses taken each day, and percent prescribed doses taken on time. Results Higher glaucoma medication adherence self-efficacy was positively associated with better adherence with all three measures. African American race was negatively associated with percent correct number of doses taken each day (beta= −0.16, p<0.05) and whether the patient took 80% or more of the prescribed doses (odds ratio=0.37, 95% confidence interval 0.16, 0.86). Physician education about how to administer drops was positively associated with percent correct number of doses taken each day (beta= 0.18, p<0.01) and percent prescribed doses taken on time (beta=0.15, p<0.05). Conclusions These findings indicate that provider education about how to administer glaucoma drops and patient glaucoma medication adherence self-efficacy are positively associated with adherence.

Objectives The objective of this study was to examine the extent to which patient characteristics, eye drop technique self-efficacy, and ophthalmologist–patient communication about eye drop administration are associated with glaucoma patients’ ability to instil a single drop, have the drop land in the eye, and avoid touching the applicator tip of the medication bottle to the eye or face while self-administering eye drops. Methods Glaucoma patients (n = 279) were recruited from six ophthalmology clinics. Medical visits were videotape-recorded. Afterwards, patients were interviewed and demonstrated administering an eye drop on a videotaped-recording. Generalized estimating equations were used to analyse the data. Key findings Ophthalmologists provided eye drop administration instruction to 40 patients. Patients with more years of education were significantly more likely to both instil a single drop (P = 0.017) and have the drop land in their eye (P = 0.017). Women were significantly more likely to touch the applicator tip to their eyes or face (P = 0.014). Patients with severe glaucoma (P = 0.016), women (P = 0.026), and patients who asked at least one eye drop administration question (P = 0.001) were significantly less likely to instil a single drop. Patients with arthritis were significantly less likely to have the drop land in their eye (P = 0.008). African American patients were significantly less likely to touch the applicator tip to their eyes or face (P = 0.008). Conclusions Some glaucoma patients have a difficult time self-administering eye drops. As so few patients received eye drop administration instruction from their providers, there is an opportunity for pharmacists to complement care.

Purpose Glaucoma medications can reduce intraocular pressure and improve clinical outcomes when patients adhere to their medication regimen. Providers often ask glaucoma patients to self-report their adherence, but the accuracy of this self-report method has received little scientific attention. Our purpose was to compare a self-report medication adherence measure with adherence data collected from Medication Event Monitoring Systems (MEMS) electronic monitors. Additionally, we sought to identify which patient characteristics were associated with over-reporting adherence on the self-reported measure. Methods English-speaking adult glaucoma patients were recruited for this observational cohort study from six ophthalmology practices. Patients were interviewed immediately after a baseline medical visit and were given MEMS containers, which were used to record adherence over a 60-day period. MEMS data were used to calculate percent adherence, which measured the percentage of the prescribed number of doses taken, and timing adherence, which assessed the percent doses taken on time. Patients self-reported adherence to their glaucoma medications on a visual analog scale (VAS) approximately 60 days following the baseline visit. Bivariate analyses and logistic regressions were used to analyze the data. Self-reported medication adherence on the VAS was plotted against MEMS adherence to illustrate the level of discrepancy between self-reported and electronically-monitored adherence. Findings The analyses included 240 patients who returned their MEMS containers and who self-reported medication adherence at the 60-day follow-up visit. When compared with MEMS-measured percent adherence, 31% of patients (n=75) over-estimated their adherence on the VAS. When compared with MEMS-measured timing adherence, 74% (n=177) of patients over-estimated their adherence on the VAS. For the MEMS-measured percent adherence, logistic regression revealed that patients who were newly prescribed glaucoma medications were significantly more likely to over-report adherence on the VAS (OR=3.07, 95% CI: 1.22, 7.75). For the MEMS–measured timing adherence, being male (chi-square=6.78, p=0.009) and being prescribed glaucoma medications dosed multiple times daily (chi-square =4.02, p=0.045) were significantly associated with patients over-reporting adherence on the VAS. However, only male gender remained a significant predictor of over-reporting adherence in the logistic regression, (OR=4.05, 95% CI: 1.73, 9.47). Implications Many glaucoma patients, especially new patients, over-estimated their medication adherence. Because patients were likely to over-report percent doses taken and timing adherence, providers may want to ask patients additional questions about when they take their glaucoma medications in order to potentially detect issues with taking glaucoma medications on time.

Education about how to administer eye drops may improve a patient's ability to instill his or her eye drops correctly. Our objectives were to (a) document the methods providers use to educate glaucoma patients about eye drop technique; (b) determine whether eye drop technique education varies by provider and patient characteristics; and (c) evaluate whether education predicts improved patient technique. We conducted an 8-month longitudinal study of 279 glaucoma patients and 15 providers in which we recorded on videotape the content of glaucoma office visits at two time points (baseline and 4- to 6-week follow-up) and videotaped patient eye drop technique at three time points (baseline, 4- to 6-week follow-up, and 8-month follow-up). Mann-Whitney rank sum tests were used to determine whether education was associated with improved patient eye drop technique over time. Ninety-four patients (34%) received technique education at either visit; 31% received verbal education and 10% received a technique demonstration. Only 24 patients (47%) who were new to eye drops received technique education at the baseline visit. Patients who were new to drops at baseline (p = .008) and patients who asked a question about drops (p < .001) were more likely to receive technique education. Education was not associated with improved technique. Eye drop technique education occurs infrequently during glaucoma office visits. Future studies should compare the effectiveness of different educational methods, such as patient demonstration versus provider verbal instruction, to determine which method is best at improving patient eye drop technique.