Key result
Among elderly Medicaid enrollees newly starting antihypertensive therapy, average compliance was only 49% over 1 year, with better compliance associated with advanced age (OR 2.12) and White race.
Why the study?
Do demographic factors such as age, gender, and race affect compliance with antihypertensive therapy in elderly Medicaid enrollees?
Cohort (n=4,068)
Do demographic factors such as age, gender, and race affect compliance with antihypertensive therapy in elderly Medicaid enrollees?
Elderly Medicaid enrollees newly starting antihypertensive therapy exhibit poor compliance (covering only 49% of days on average), with lower compliance observed in Black patients and those under 85 years old.
May warrant adherence interventions among elderly Medicaid patients; leaves open whether age and race associations are causal in observational data.
OBJECTIVES: This study measured compliance and related demographic factors in a retrospective cohort of 4068 elderly outpatients newly starting antihypertensive therapy from 1982 through 1988. METHODS: Logistic regression modeling of data from the New Jersey Medicaid program was used. RESULTS: These patients filled antihypertensive prescriptions covering an average of only 179 days in the 365-day follow-up period (49%) Good compliance (> or = 80%) was associated with advanced age (odds ratio [OR] = 2.12, for patients 85 or older) and White race (OR = 0.55 for Blacks). There was no relationship between compliance and gender. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the efficacy of antihypertensive therapy in preventing cardiovascular morbidity, such high rates of noncompliance may contribute to suboptimal patient outcomes.
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Monane et al. (1996) conducted a cohort in Hypertension (n=4,068). Antihypertensive therapy was evaluated on Compliance with antihypertensive therapy (OR 2.12 for age ≥85; OR 0.55 for Blacks). Among elderly Medicaid enrollees newly starting antihypertensive therapy, average compliance was only 49% over 1 year, with better compliance associated with advanced age (OR 2.12) and White race.
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