OBJECTIVE: @entity936 is a prevalent condition with significant socioeconomic burden. This study evaluates the extent and reasons for loss to follow-up (LTF) in a dedicated @entity936 . LTF refers to @entity1 who discontinued visits for >2 years. METHOD: The proportion of @entity1 LTF and the demographics in a cohort of @entity936 @entity1 (2006 to 2010) were determined. A telephone survey was prospectively conducted for @entity1 who were LTF. RESULTS: Of 505 @entity1 , 240 (47.5%) were LTF. Associated demographic factors for LTF were male sex, non-Chinese ethnicity, and age group <30 years old (all P<0.05). The reasons for LTF through the telephone survey (response rate 77.9%) were categorized into three broad groups, stabilized @entity936 (47%), personal/social factors (25%) and perceived insufficiency of healthcare delivery (28%). Only two (1.1%) were considered as management failures. The younger @entity1 (age <50 years) were more likely to become LTF (P<0.001) due to stabilized @entity2194 , compared to older @entity1 who were more likely to be LTF due to personal/social reasons (P=0.02). Poor communication and service factors under healthcare delivery were found to be higher (P=0.002) in those who visited once before they were LTF (8.5%) compared to those who visited multiple times before they were LTF (0.1%). CONCLUSION: LTF was relatively common in hospital-based @entity936 management. Female and older @entity1 were less likely to stop consultation. Stabilized @entity936 , common in younger @entity1 , was the most common reason for LTF. Elderly @entity1 have difficulty attending clinics due to nonmedical problems, which may require a more holistic approach.

Lost to follow-up for appointments in a dedicated XXXX .

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients', 'patient'] @entity2194 :: ('MESH:D005128', 'Disease') :: ['dry eye disease'] @entity936 :: ('MESH:D015352', 'Disease') :: ['Dry eye', 'dry eye clinic', 'dry eye', 'dry eye condition']
@entity936 :: (MESH:D015352,Disease) :: ['dry eye clinic']
