Ben S. Gerber|Young I. Cho|Ahsan M. Arozullah|Shoou Yih D. Lee
Racial differences in medication adherence: A cross-sectional study of medicare enrollees
Jesse Brown VA Medical Center|University of Illinois at Chicago|University of Illinois at Chicago|University of Illinois at Chicago|University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
background racial differences adherence prescribed medication regimens reported among elderly remains unclear however whether differences persist controlling confounding variables objective objective study determine whether racial differences medication adherence african american white seniors persist adjusting demographic characteristics health literacy depression social support hypothesized differences adherence 2 races would eliminated adjusting confounding variables methods survey medication adherence conducted using facetoface interviews medicare recipients 65 years age living chicago participants good hearing vision able speak english enable respond questions survey sign informedconsent form medication adherence measures included questions 1 running medications refilling prescriptions 2 following physician instructions take medications 3 forgetting take medications individual crude odds ratios cors calculated association race medication adherence adjusted odds ratios aors calculated using following covariates multivariate logistic regression analyses race age sex living spouse partner significant income medicaid benefits prescription drug coverage primary care physician history hypertension diabetes health status health literacy depression social support results six hundred thirtythree eligible cases identified 489 patients responded survey 450 266 african american 59 mean age 782 years 184 white 41 mean age 768 years predominantly women included sample overall response rate survey 773 african americans likely whites report running medications refilling cor 301 95 ci 172528 always following physician instructions take medications cor 264 95 ci 150464 however significant difference races observed forgetting take medications cor 090 95 ci 061131 adjusted analyses race longer associated low adherence due refilling aor 160 95 ci 074342 however race remained associated following physician instructions take medications adjusting confounding variables aor 249 95 ci 107580 conclusion elderly african americans reported followed physician instructions take medications less frequently elderly whites even adjusting differences demographic characteristics health literacy depression social support