Original scientific paper

https://doi.org/10.24869/psyd.2022.348

ANXIETY AND TREATMENT ADHERENCE AMONG GLAUCOMA PATIENTS DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND EARTHQUAKES IN CROATIA

Dina Lešin Gaćina orcid.org/0000-0002-2468-2195 ; Department of Ophthalmology, Zagreb University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia
Sonja Jandroković ; Department of Ophthalmology, Zagreb University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia ; School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Darko Marčinko ; School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia ; Department of Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine, Zagreb University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia
Ivan Škegro ; Department of Ophthalmology, Zagreb University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia ; School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Sania Vidas Pauk ; Department of Ophthalmology, Zagreb University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia
Martina Tomić ; Department of Ophthalmology, Vuk Vrhovac University Clinic for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, Merkur University Hospital, Zagreb, Croatia
Bernarda Škegro ; Srebrnjak Children's Hospital, Zagreb, Croatia
Marija Barišić Kutija ; Department of Ophthalmology, Zagreb University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia
Petra Kristina Ivkić ; Department of Ophthalmology, Zagreb University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 epidemic and earthquakes in Croatia during 2020 suddenly disrupted everyday life and caused
psychological disturbances in population. The purpose of the present study was to assess the prevalence of anxiety symptoms and the
level of treatment adherence in glaucoma patients during the pandemic. The paper also aimed to evaluate the correlation between
anxiety symptoms, treatment adherence and treatment outcomes in the studied cohort.
Subjects and methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) patients at the
Department of Ophthalmology, Zagreb University Hospital Center, during one year. The Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) was used to
measure the level of anxiety symptoms. Treatment adherence was estimated by the Culig adherence scale (CAS). Glaucoma damage
was determined for each patient from the level of structural and functional impairment of the worse eye, by retinal nerve fiber layer
(RNFL) thickness and mean defect (MD), respectively. Statistical analyses were performed, with a P value of less than 0.05
considered being statistically significant.
Results: This study included 113 POAG patients, with a mean age of 65.89 years. The median of the BAI total score in all
patients was 10. According to the CAS, 60.2% of patients were non-adherent to glaucoma treatment during the COVID-19 outbreak.
The BAI total score was significantly negatively related to adherence to local glaucoma treatment (p<0.001). A significant negative
association was also observed between adherence and MD (p=0.017), while no correlation was found between adherence and RNFL
thickness (p=0.228).
Conclusion: Considerable proportion of patients with glaucoma have shown non-adherence to treatment during the COVID-19
pandemic. Anxiety severity was associated with lower adherence, thus indirectly influencing therapeutics outcomes. Special
consideration should be given to the strategies promoting mental health and interventions focusing on treatment adherence in
glaucoma patients in a time of emergencies.

Keywords

glaucoma; treatment adherence; anxiety; visual impairment; COVID-19 pandemic

Hrčak ID:

280090

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/280090

Publication date:

5.7.2022.

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