Determinants of compliance with outpatient examinations for infants at risk for retinopathy of prematurity.

PURPOSE: To assess the level and the determinants of compliance with outpatient retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) examination appointments at a tertiary academic center.

METHODS: The medical records of babies scheduled for outpatient ROP examination between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2022, were reviewed retrospectively. Data collected included appointments scheduled and attended, birth weight, gestational age, ROP staging at discharge, maternal ethnicity (self-identified), household type, proximity to hospital and median family income (US Census based on home zip codes). Univariate and multivariable analyses were performed. A P value of <0.05 was considered significant.

RESULTS: The records of 66 babies were analyzed. Forty-nine babies (74%) attended all scheduled ROP examination appointments (fully compliant). The mean appointment compliance rate was 86%, with a 1.5% no-show rate. Seven children (11%) required the intervention of Child Protective Services. One baby was never seen in the clinic. In unadjusted analysis, maternal ethnicity (P = 0.028) and median family income lower than the national average (P = 0.049) were sociodemographic factors associated with lower compliance. Clinical factors associated with lower compliance were lower gestational ages (P = 0.005) and lower birth weight (P = 0.006). In multivariable logistic regression adjusting for all candidate predictors, only birth weight remained significantly associated with lower compliance (P = 0.036).

CONCLUSIONS: Clinical and sociodemographic factors may be associated with compliance with outpatient ROP examination recommendations. Extremely low-birth-weight babies were at the greatest risk for noncompliance.