Predictors of Aspirin Nonadherence in Adults With Prior Myocardial Infarction

BACKGROUND: Medication nonadherence is an alarming public health concern due to its effect on both individual treatment success and overall health care costs. This study sought to identify the predictors of aspirin nonadherence in adults with prior myocardial infarction (MI). METHODS: The 2017 Centers for Disease Control's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey, a nationally representative, cross-sectional survey, was utilized to identify a cohort of community-dwelling adults (age ≥ 18 years) with prior MI (n = 2173). The primary outcome of interest was presence of self-reported aspirin nonadherence. RESULTS: Among 2173 participants with prior MI studied, a total of 550 participants (25.3%) reported aspirin nonadherence, whereas 1623 participants (74.7%) reported adherence to aspirin. Adults with aspirin nonadherence were younger and more likely to be female, Black, and of Hispanic ethnicity. They also had lower annual income and were less likely to have health insurance or own a home. Participants with aspirin nonadherence had less frequent medical checkups and lower rates of multiple comorbidities including diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and obesity. In multivariable analysis, independent predictors of aspirin nonadherence included female sex [odds ratio (OR), 1.42; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.14-1.83], Black race (OR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.19-2.26), Hispanic ethnicity (OR, 2.27; 95% CI, 1.60-3.21), current employment (OR, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.28-2.36), and absence of homeowner status (OR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.55-0.93). CONCLUSIONS: In this observational contemporary study of adults with prior MI, predictors of aspirin nonadherence included female sex, Black race, Hispanic ethnicity, currently employed status, and absence of homeowner status.