RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Glaucoma is considered the second most common cause of blindness in patients above the age of 50. Lack of adherence to glaucoma medications frequently results in undesirable complications, specifically blindness and disability. PURPOSE: The study's objectives are to evaluate the level of adherence to glaucoma topical medications and factors associated with adherence to glaucoma medications. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In total, 348 patients, of whom 48.6% were above the age of 65, were recruited. A cross-sectional study from August 2018 to March 2020 was conducted on glaucoma patients who were referred to the Department of Ophthalmology in Royal Medical Services in Amman, Jordan. A questionnaire was employed to collect patients' demographic data, level of adherence, and factors associated with medication adherence. The inclusion criteria include the following: age above 20 years, diagnosis of glaucoma, currently under medical treatment, and willingness to participate in the study. Exclusion criteria include the following: patients who were hospitalized for glaucoma treatment, patients who had unstable medical conditions, and any patients for whom ophthalmologists had determined that they should be excluded for any other reasons. RESULTS: Almost half (47.1%) of the patients adhered to their personal glaucoma medications, and the most frequent cause of nonadherence was forgetfulness (39.9%), whereas the least common was stopping the drug after feeling better (7.0%). CONCLUSION: Proper patient education and explanation of the seriousness of medication adherence and its association with treatment outcomes, along with assisting old and disabled patients when applying ophthalmic medications, may positively improve the adherence of patients to glaucoma and other related visual impairment medications.
RESUMEN
Background: People perform sports for better health and wellbeing. However, the use of doping agents is emerging among young adults. This study investigated aspects related to doping agents. Methods: A reliable self-administered questionnaire (Cronbach's alpha =0.72, Pearson's r = 0.89) was used to assess knowledge, attitudes, and practicalities related to the use of doping agents. Results for pharmacists as health care providers (HCP, n=550) were compared with non-healthcare providers (Non-HCP, n=319). Results: Among pharmacists, 82.9% knew the definition of doping agents vs. 72.4% of non-HCP (P<0.001). However, 36.7% of pharmacists vs. 39.6% of non-HCP incorrectly classified doping agents (P=0.02). The majority of responders (89.8%) supported having an anti-doping authority, yet, only 15% were aware of the anti-doping organizations. The majority of responders (83%) did not receive an official education related to doping agents. Enhancing physical performance was perceived as a leading driver (82.1%) to use doping agents. More than 90% of responders supported awareness in the community. The perceived best tool for awareness was social media and TV sites, as suggested by pharmacists (95.0%) and non-HCP (92.1%, P=0.312). A total of 6.1% had ever used doping agents (3.6% pharmacist vs. 9.8% non-HCP, P<0.001). Almost half of the users utilized a diet or medication to counteract the side effects of doping agents. Within pharmacists, males received more requests to provide doping agents (41.9%) compared with females (23.8%, P<0.001). Conclusion: It is crucial to enhance professional and legal knowledge and public awareness about doping agents, not only for non-HCP but also for HCPs. Applying more restrictions on doping agents is strongly recommended.