Poor communication with African Americans

A study into patient-provider communication of glaucoma-related quality-of-life in African Americans revealed eye care professionals need further training to ensure patients are informed. 

Researchers at the University of North Carolina, published in the Eye journal, examined 189 African American patients who were not taking their prescribed medicine for glaucoma to find out who initiated glaucoma-related quality-of-life discussions and when.   

The topic was discussed at only 12.3% of visits, with patients initiating the discussion 56.5% of the time and providers 43.5% of the time. However, communication was better when patients saw African American providers. Individuals with worse health literacy, depressive symptoms, and more severe glaucoma were more likely to have worse vision-related quality-of-life.