Randomized Controlled Trial Evaluating an Incentive-based Community Eye-care Programme

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Visual Impairment
• Interventions: Other: Incentive Care

• Registration Number: NCT03264885
• Lead Sponsor: Singapore National Eye Centre

Brief Summary

Elderly with visual impairment (VI) who undergo community eye screening often do not attend tertiary follow-up even if significant eye diseases are detected. Investigators evaluate an incentive-care scheme (ICS) to improve the attendance rates of tertiary eye-care visits of participants following community eye screening.

Detailed Description

A randomized controlled study individuals with VI with baseline visual acuity (VA) and vision-related quality of life (VRQoL) assessed in the community. Participants were randomised to either receiving ICS or usual care (UC). ICS is a novel intervention that incorporates patient education, social support, and financial assistance to assist individuals. Participants in UC received a standard GP referral letter advising them to seek further care. Our main outcome measure was compliance to tertiary eye-care referral. Our secondary outcome measure was VA and VRQoL assessed at 3 months.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2014-01-01
• Primary Completion: 2017-01-01
• Status Verified: 2017-08
• Study First Submitted: 2017-08-24
• Study First Submitted QC: 2017-08-28
• Study First Posted: 2017-08-29
• Study Completion: 2018-01-01
• Last Update Submitted: 2019-09-25
• Last Update Posted: 2019-09-26

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 140

Inclusion Criteria

• the ability to speak English and/or Mandarin, have adequate hearing with/without hearing aids to respond to normal conversation, not currently undergoing regular assessment/care with an ophthalmologist (at least yearly), have the ability to undergo visual acuity testing and provide reliable results, and visual acuity of 6/12 or worse in either eye after best correction

Exclusion Criteria

• refused informed consent and any other contraindication(s) as indicated by the general practitioner responsible for the participant

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Incentive Care	Incentive Care	In addition to the UC, those assigned to the ICS also received social and financial support to incentivise and improve compliance. All ICS participants were assisted with scheduling their tertiary care appointments, given telephone reminders, provided once-off transportation allowance and subsidy for their first tertiary eye-care consultation - while participants with mobility issues were assisted by volunteers.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Compliance to Tertiary Care Follow-up	3 months	Percentage of participants who attended follow-up

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Visual Acuity	3 months	Vision checked on Snellen chart