Socioeconomic analysis of glaucoma patients regarding treatment options.

Abstract

Objective: To present a socioeconomic analysis of glaucoma patients regarding glaucoma treatment options.

Methods: This is a prospective, comparative cross-sectional study. One hundred twenty glaucoma patients were divided into three groups. In group one, 40 patients were treated with topical therapy; group two consisted of 40 patients who had previously undergone laser therapy for glaucoma treatment; and group three had 40 patients who had undergone glaucoma surgical therapy. Data were collected using questionnaires. The data obtained by the survey were entered into the database and analyzed in the statistical program "SPSS". The difference between the examined groups was analyzed using the "Mann-Whitney test", and the statistical significance of the difference was analyzed using the "Hi-square test".

Results: Out of 120 patients, 65 were females, and 56 were males with a mean age of 55,6 ± 11,9 years with a range of 24-83 years. Based on the type of treatment, on average, the youngest were patients in group 2 (51.2 ± 8.3 years, range 31-66 years), followed by group 3 (55.2 ± 12.6 years, range 29-82 years), and the oldest were patients in group 1 (60.3 ± 12.6 years, range 24-83 years). Statistical analysis using the "Man-Whitney U" test showed that there was a statistically significant difference in the average age by type of treatment (p < 0.05). Other socioeconomic factors did not show statistically significant differences among groups.

Discussion: Our study highlighted the interplay between socioeconomic factors and treatment choices in glaucoma management. Younger, more informed patients were more likely to opt for newer therapies like laser treatment, while older patients often relied on traditional methods. Identifying these patterns is crucial for tailoring screening programs, optimizing treatment protocols, and improving overall patient outcomes.

Conclusion: Our study demonstrates few socioeconomic differences between patients in different types of glaucoma treatment.