The views of compliant glaucoma patients on counselling and social support

The purpose of this study was to describe the views of compliant glaucoma patients with good compliance on patient education and social support they received during their illness. The aim was to gain knowledge for developing patient compliance by means of promoting education and support methods. Twelve glaucoma patients with good compliance were interviewed, and the transcripts based on those interviews were analysed using content analysis. In the data, the participants described education and social support they had received from healthcare personnel, relatives and partly from their peers. Patient education emerged as the content, timing and methods of education. Social support emerged as emotional, informational and instrumental support, lack of support as well as patients' activity. Consequently, patients need education and support from healthcare personnel as well as from their relatives to cope with glaucoma. The need for education and support is individual but the most important time for education and support is at the initial stages of the illness. The need for education and support is also evident when the patient's treatment is changed or an operative procedure is performed. To conclude, the individual, patient-centred and properly timed education and support is a huge challenge for healthcare personnel because of the decrease in individual time for each patient. Therefore, new and timesaving methods of education and support should be developed.