Mary T. Roth|Denise Esserman|Jena L. Ivey|Morris Weinberger
Racial Disparities in Quality of Medication Use in Older Adults: Findings From a Longitudinal Study
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill|University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill|University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill|University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
quality medication use older adults suboptimal large percentage individuals receiving recommended care efforts evaluate quality medication use target highrisk drugs appropriate treatment prevalent chronic disease states set predefined quality indicators medication use rather patient also suggested racial differences quality medication use may exist older adults study conducted determine prevalence number types medicationrelated problems older adults examining impact race quality medication use prospective cohort study involving inhome interviews medical record reviews communityresiding older adults stratified race conducted 3 times 1 year intervention address medicationrelated problems performed quality medication use reported medicationrelated problems clinical pharmacists 200 participants 100 blacks 100 whites mean age 783 whites 755 blacks majority patients female although whites used medications blacks mean 116 vs 97 p 001 blacks medicationrelated problems per person whites mean 63 vs 49 p 001 patients least 1 medicationrelated problem common problems baseline 6 months 12 months whites blacks undertreatment suboptimal drug use suboptimal dosing nonadherence less costly alternative available blacks significantly higher rates nonadherence whites 68 vs 42 p 001 12month study number medicationrelated problems persisted increased adjusted p 00168 medicationrelated problems prevalent black white older adults persisted 1 year blacks medicationrelated problems whites including higher rates nonadherence findings require study better understand racial disparities quality medication use older adults impact race specific medicationrelated problems