The role of parental compliance in the ophthalmological rehabilitation of patients in the active phase of retinopathy of prematurity

Abstract

Purpose: to assess the degree of parents’ compliance of children with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in the active phase of the disease and to identify the factors affecting the formation of the compliance. Material and methods. 73 parents (67 mothers and 6 fathers) of active phase ROP-patients were surveyed using a replenishable database created in Google Forms The respondents’ age ranged from 22 to 46 years (averagely, 32.5 ± 2.0 years). The questionnaire involved socio-demographic characteristics (the parents’ age and gender, place of residence, education; gestational age of the child at the time of birth, the child’ age at the moment of the parental survey) and the data on the communication with medical personnel and adherence to their recommendations. The survey had multiple choice and open-type questions. The criteria for compliance included exact adherence to the recommendations of the attending physician and the approval of their actions concerning the main treatment features (using of medications, resorting to surgery, i.e. laser coagulation of the retina, dynamic multi-stage ophthalmological observation). Results. 90.4 % of the respondents received basic information about the eye disease of their child from an ophthalmologist. 15.1 % of respondents mentioned additional printed sources, and 20.5 %, the Internet resources. High levels of satisfaction concerned the completeness of the information received from the doctor (76.7 %) and the appointment of diagnostic examinations and laser coagulation of the retina (100 %). The highest compliance rates were found in parents over 36 yrs. and in the parents of patients with severe posterior aggressive ROP. The level of education, place of residence, the degree of prematurity of the child had no significant impact on the assessment of the competence of the ophthalmologist. Conclusion. ROP has specific clinical and psychological features that require high professionalism, and communication skills of neonatologists and ophthalmologists. It is expedient that a clinical psychologist participates in the treatment process so as to ensure timely correction of compliance disorders of the parents of a premature infant.