The Annals Evolution of Clinical Pharmacy | Now Available
home help contact us subscription past issues search current issue
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

The Annals of Pharmacotherapy: Vol. 36, No. 5, pp. 804-808. DOI 10.1345/aph.1A044
© 2002 Harvey Whitney Books Company.
This Article
Right arrow PDF
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Articles Ahead of Print
Right arrow [Order Reprint]
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Mamdani, M.
Right arrow Articles by Alter, D.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Mamdani, M.
Right arrow Articles by Alter, D.

Research Articles

Influence of socioeconomic status on drug selection for the elderly in Canada

MM Mamdani, K Tu, PC Austin, and DA Alter

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between socioeconomic status, as indicated by neighborhood median income levels, and physician drug selection between older, less expensive generic drugs and newer, more expensive brand-name drugs for elderly patients initiating drug therapy in a universal healthcare system. METHODS: We conducted a population-based, retrospective, cross-sectional study. Using healthcare administrative databases, we assessed the medication profiles of 128 314 patients from more than 1.4 million residents of Ontario > or =65 years old initiating antipsychotic, hydroxymethylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase inhibitor (statin), or ocular beta-blocker drug therapy from January 1, 1998, through December 31, 1999. We examined the selection of older generic drugs relative to newer brand-name agents for patients in each of 5 income quintiles. RESULTS: Overall, brand-name drug prescribing modestly increased with increasing income quintile after adjusting for patient age and gender (61.2% in the lowest income quintile vs. 64.1% in the highest income quintile; p value for trend < 0.001). Significant risk ratios comparing the highest with the lowest income-quintile patients were observed for selection of newer, brand-name antipsychotics (RR 1.14; 95% CI 1.06 to 1.23), older generic statins (RR 0.86; 95% CI 0.77 to 0.95), and newer, brand-name ocular beta-blockers (RR 1.13; 95% CI 1.02 to 1.25). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that income-related differences in treatment selection by physicians may exist. The reasons for these differences and subsequent impact on health outcomes warrant further investigation.


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 J Antimicrob ChemotherHome page
S. K. Glass, D. L. Pearl, S. A. McEwen, and R. Finley
A province-level risk factor analysis of fluoroquinolone consumption patterns in Canada (2000-06)
J. Antimicrob. Chemother., September 1, 2010; 65(9): 2019 - 2027.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 JCOHome page
S. Bonovas, K. Filioussi, C. S. Flordellis, and N. M. Sitaras
Statins and the Risk of Colorectal Cancer: A Meta-Analysis of 18 Studies Involving More Than 1.5 Million Patients
J. Clin. Oncol., August 10, 2007; 25(23): 3462 - 3468.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Int J Qual Health CareHome page
S. Wamala, J. Merlo, G. Bostrom, C. Hogstedt, and G. Agren
Socioeconomic disadvantage and primary non-adherence with medication in Sweden
Int. J. Qual. Health Care, June 1, 2007; 19(3): 134 - 140.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


homecopy help contact us subscription past issues search current issue
Copyright © 2002 by Harvey Whitney Books Company.