Background: Good adherence to ocular hypotensive agents is important to control intraocular pressure and hence\nto prevent progressive glaucomatous optic nerve head damage. Periodic investigation of adherence is crucial in\nglaucoma treatment. The purpose of this study was to assess level of adherence to ocular hypotensive agents and\nto identify factors affecting adherence among glaucoma patients at a tertiary public eye care center.\nMethods: The study was a hospital-based cross-sectional study that was conducted in Menelik II Referral Hospital\nfrom June 1, 2015 to July 31, 2015. A systematic random sampling technique was used to select 359 study participants\nfrom the source population. The study patients were interviewed and their medical charts were reviewed using a\npretested structured questionnaire. Adherence was assessed using Morisky Medication Adherence Scale - 8 and\nadherence determinant factors were identified using multivariate binary logistic regression analysis. The association was\ndeclared statistically significant at p < 0.05.\nResults: Among the 359 study glaucoma patients, 42.6 % were adherent to their prescribed hypotensive agents.\nHigher educational level (AOR = 4.60, 95 % CI: 1.01ââ?¬â??21.03, p < 0.049), being self - employed (AOR = 6.14, 95 % CI:\n1.37ââ?¬â??27.50, p < 0.018) and taking lesser frequency of drops (AOR = 2.89, 95 % CI: 1.25ââ?¬â??6.66, p < 0.013) were significantly\nassociated with adherence, whereas being a farmer (AOR = 0.07, 95 % CI: 0.01ââ?¬â??0.75, p < 0.028), having very low monthly\nfamily income (AOR = 0.22, 95 % CI: 0.06ââ?¬â??0.77, p < 0.019) and self - purchasing of medications (AOR = 0.30, 95 % CI:\n0.10ââ?¬â??0.93, p < 0.036) were significantly associated with non-adherence.\nConclusions: The study has identified the adherence level to the prescribed ocular hypotensive agents to be\nsub-optimal and is influenced by different factors among glaucoma patients of the public tertiary center. We\nrecommend glaucoma care providers to pay due attention on the importance of adherence.
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