Feasibility, Patient Acceptability, and Preliminary Efficacy of a Culturally Informed, Health Promotion Program to Improve Glaucoma Medication Adherence Among African Americans: "Glaucoma Management Optimism for African Americans Living with Glaucoma" (GOAL).

PURPOSE/AIMS: To examine the feasibility, patient acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of a culturally informed, health promotion program designed to improve glaucoma medication adherence among African American's (AA's) with glaucoma. MATERIALS/METHODS: A sample of 11 AA glaucoma patients (mean age 61 years; 73% women and 27% men) completed a culturally informed and individually tailored, health promotion program developed for AAs titled, "Glaucoma Management Optimism for African Americans Living with Glaucoma" (GOAL)©. The aim of the brief 4-week program is to enhance glaucoma medication adherence through a combination of education, motivational interviewing (MI), and problem-solving training (PST). Feasibility was assessed on the basis of patient satisfaction with the program, number of sessions completed, and length of sessions. Preliminary efficacy was evaluated using a pre-post design to determine whether the program improved objective glaucoma medication adherence via an electronic Travalert dosing aid as well as satisfaction with aspects of glaucoma treatment, health beliefs about medications, glaucoma symptoms, emotional well-being, and intraocular pressure. RESULTS: Overall patient satisfaction and acceptability was high for the program, interactions with the health educator, program materials, and the length of sessions. Feasibility was also supported given the need for the program, success in recruitment/retention, and ease of implementing the program with AA glaucoma patients in clinic and/or over the telephone. In terms of preliminary efficacy, patients showed significant pre-post improvements in objective medication adherence rates by 15% (p = 0.03), self-efficacy for glaucoma management (p = 0.02), ease of use in administering eye drops (p = 0.03), glaucoma treatment satisfaction (p = 0.05), beliefs about the necessity of taking glaucoma medications (p = 0.05), and functional visual ocular symptoms (p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: (GOAL)© holds great promise toward improving glaucoma medication adherence and beliefs among AA's with glaucoma.

Low income and albuminuria among REGARDS (Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke) study participants.

BACKGROUND: Albuminuria is an important risk factor for progressive chronic kidney disease (CKD) and is more prevalent in black than white adults. We sought to determine the association between low income and albuminuria and whether this association differs for blacks and whites. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS: 9,144 black and 13,684 white US adults 45 years and older in the population-based Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) Study. PREDICTORS: Self-reported annual household income category (≥$75,000, $35,000-$74,999, $20,000-$34,999, and <$20,000); black and white race. OUTCOMES & MEASUREMENTS: Albuminuria defined as high (30-300 mg/g) or very high (>300 mg/g) urinary albumin-creatinine ratio (ACR). Multinomial logistic regression used to examine the race-stratified association between categories of income and albuminuria (normal, high, or very high ACR). RESULTS: Overall, geometric mean ACR was 10.2 mg/g and was higher for blacks (11.8 mg/g) than whites (9.3 mg/g), P<0.001. Lower income was associated with a higher prevalence of albuminuria for both whites and blacks in unadjusted analyses. After adjustment for demographics, lifestyle factors, comorbid illnesses, and estimated glomerular filtration rate, there was a trend toward a stronger association between lower income levels and high ACR in blacks (ORs of 1.38 [95% CI, 1.07-1.77], 1.36 [95% CI, 1.05-1.75], and 1.58 [95% CI, 1.21-2.05] for income levels of $35,000-$74,999, $20,000-$34,999, and <$20,000, respectively; reference group is those with income≥$75,000) compared with whites (ORs of 0.95 [95% CI, 0.81-1.12], 0.95 [95% CI, 0.79-1.14], and 1.26 [95% CI, 1.02-1.55], respectively); P interaction=0.08 between race and income. Results were similar for very high ACR and subgroups of participants with diabetes or hypertension. LIMITATIONS: Cross-sectional design; not all REGARDS participants provided their annual income. CONCLUSIONS: Lower income may be associated more strongly with albuminuria in blacks than whites and may be a determinant of racial disparities in albuminuria.