Factors associated with pediatric ophthalmology follow-up adherence before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Publication/Presentation Date
8-1-2024
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Studies describe poor follow-up among children in ophthalmology prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the pandemic led to worse adherence for routine medical care in children, little information exists on pediatric ophthalmology follow-up adherence during COVID-19. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on follow-up adherence for children with eye disease, and identified characteristics associated with follow-up adherence.
METHODS: In this single-center study, the medical records of 519 new pediatric (≤18 years of age) patients seen during January, April, August, and December 2019 and 2021 were reviewed retrospectively. Patients were classified into two groups: adherent (patients who followed up within 30 days of recommended appointment time) or less-adherent (patients who followed up >30 days after recommended follow-up or never). Main outcome measure was patient adherence status.
RESULTS: Follow-up adherence was similar before and during the COVID-19 pandemic (50.4% for 2019 and 49.6% for 2021 [P = 0.40]). Patients that were less likely to be adherent in both univariate and multivariable analyses included those with public insurance (adjusted OR = 0.63 [95% CI, 0.40-1.00]; P = 0.05), and those recommended to follow-up ≥3 months (adjusted OR ≤ 0.10; P < 0.001). In addition, in univariate analysis, those who declined to self-report race (OR = 0.53 [95% CI, 0.29-0.95]; P = 0.04) and those seen by optometrists (OR = 0.42 [95% CI, 0.29-0.60]; P < 0.001) were less likely to be adherent, while patients who traveled ≥177 miles to their provider were more likely to be adherent (OR = 2.88 [95% CI, 1.17-7.55]; P = 0.02).
CONCLUSIONS: Follow-up adherence for childhood eye care was low but remained relatively stable before and during the COVID-19 pandemic; >50% of children were less-adherent.
Volume
28
Issue
4
First Page
103963
Last Page
103963
ISSN
1528-3933
Published In/Presented At
Hekmatjah, N., Turner, C. H., Mesfin, Y., Zhang, L., Han, Y., O'Brien, K. S., & Oatts, J. T. (2024). Factors associated with pediatric ophthalmology follow-up adherence before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of AAPOS : the official publication of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, 28(4), 103963. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaapos.2024.103963
Disciplines
Medicine and Health Sciences | Pediatrics
PubMedID
38955242
Department(s)
Department of Pediatrics
Document Type
Article