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The challenges to ophthalmologic follow-up care in at-risk pediatric populations

Summer Williams1, Brynn N Wajda, Rizwan Alvi

  • 1Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

Journal of AAPOS : the Official Publication of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus
|April 30, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Contacting families is the biggest hurdle for follow-up care in high-risk children after vision screening. Immediate appointment scheduling and on-site assessments can improve access to essential ophthalmological care.

Area of Science:

  • Ophthalmology
  • Public Health
  • Pediatric Eye Care

Background:

  • Vision screening identifies high-risk children needing follow-up.
  • Low socioeconomic status and inner-city populations face unique barriers to healthcare access.
  • Ophthalmological follow-up is crucial for timely diagnosis and treatment of eye conditions in children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify barriers preventing ophthalmological follow-up in high-risk children.
  • To understand challenges faced by families in accessing recommended eye care after initial screening.

Main Methods:

  • Review of patient records from free eye care programs for inner-city youths.
  • Parental phone contact and questionnaire administration to identify barriers.
  • Descriptive analysis of collected data on follow-up attempts and outcomes.

Main Results:

  • Only 58% of patients were successfully contacted; 25% were scheduled for follow-up.
  • Inability to contact families (42%) was the primary barrier, often due to inoperable phone services.
  • Other barriers included lack of awareness, scheduling conflicts, and insurance concerns.

Conclusions:

  • Family contact is the greatest barrier to essential ophthalmological follow-up.
  • Strategies like immediate follow-up arrangement and on-site assessments can enhance care access.
  • Addressing communication and logistical challenges is key to improving pediatric eye care adherence.
Abstract

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