abstract: PURPOSE: To evaluate the impact of traditional counseling and @entity0 -centered counseling, either alone or with recorded audio counseling reinforcement, on @entity2 knowledge and clinical follow-up. DESIGN: Prospective randomized controlled trial. METHODS: Newly diagnosed @entity2 @entity0 were randomized to 1 of 3 categories of @entity2 counseling: traditional counseling, @entity0 -centered counseling, or @entity0 -centered counseling with audio counseling reinforcement. Demographic and clinical information from each subject was ascertained, and all subjects completed the @entity2 Knowledge Assessment before and after counseling sessions at the time of diagnosis and at 1-month follow-up. @entity0 were instructed to return to clinic for routine follow-up at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12  months after enrollment. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to determine factors associated with appropriate clinical follow-up. RESULTS: Overall, only 13.5% of subjects had appropriate clinical follow-up at 1 year, defined as attending at least 3 follow-up visits during that interval, and there was no significant difference between counseling groups. The mean @entity2 knowledge assessment score (GKAS) improved by 77.6% with the initial counseling intervention (P < .0001), decreased by 17.4% within a 1-month period following initial counseling, and improved by 22.8% (P < .001) after the second counseling intervention. Monthly household income over 2500 rupees, GKAS greater than 5 after initial counseling, and undergoing any ocular surgical procedure were all independent predictors of appropriate follow-up. CONCLUSION: While all 3 counseling methods resulted in transient improvement of @entity0 knowledge regarding @entity1 , follow-up rates were poor for all groups. Poor retention of @entity2 knowledge may impact the likelihood of @entity0 follow-up, and reinforcement with repeated counseling may be beneficial with regard to both disease knowledge and follow-up.
  