Table 1.
Associations between Characteristics of Patients and the Number of Times When New Medications Were Obtained*
| Characteristics | Groups | Number | Mean | Standard Error of the Mean |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Racial and ethnic groups | Non-Hispanic whites | 28,924 | 1.71 | 0.03 |
| Non-Hispanic blacks | 5,232 | 1.36 | 0.06 | |
| Hispanic whites | 6,245 | 1.11 | 0.05 | |
| Age group (years) | 18–29 | 6,897 | 0.47 | 0.02 |
| 30–39 | 7,842 | 0.86 | 0.04 | |
| 40–49 | 8,369 | 1.41 | 0.05 | |
| 50–59 | 7,043 | 2.12 | 0.07 | |
| 60–69 | 5,275 | 2.54 | 0.08 | |
| 70–79 | 4,280 | 2.73 | 0.09 | |
| ≥80 | 2,222 | 2.81 | 0.13 | |
| Gender | Female | 25,258 | 1.67 | 0.03 |
| Male | 16,670 | 1.52 | 0.04 | |
| Marital status | Unmarried | 16,615 | 1.64 | 0.04 |
| Married | 25,313 | 1.58 | 0.03 | |
| Education | Lower than high school | 11,182 | 1.94 | 0.06 |
| High school | 19,404 | 1.53 | 0.03 | |
| Bachelor's | 5,692 | 1.44 | 0.06 | |
| Master's and higher | 2,850 | 1.54 | 0.08 | |
| Census regions | Northeast | 7,473 | 1.61 | 0.07 |
| Midwest | 9,346 | 1.75 | 0.05 | |
| South | 15,701 | 1.75 | 0.04 | |
| West | 9,408 | 1.18 | 0.05 | |
| Metropolitan statistical area | No | 9,653 | 1.84 | 0.05 |
| Yes | 32,275 | 1.55 | 0.03 | |
| Poverty status† | Negative or poor | 5,632 | 1.86 | 0.07 |
| Near poor | 2,031 | 1.81 | 0.13 | |
| Low income | 5,888 | 1.74 | 0.07 | |
| Middle income | 12,929 | 1.59 | 0.05 | |
| High income | 15,448 | 1.50 | 0.04 | |
| Generosity of drug benefit‡ | ≤0.2 | 14,360 | 1.11 | 0.03 |
| >0.20–0.40 | 4,055 | 1.47 | 0.08 | |
| >0.40–0.60 | 5,618 | 1.61 | 0.06 | |
| >0.60–0.80 | 8,950 | 2.01 | 0.06 | |
| >0.80 | 8,945 | 2.03 | 0.06 | |
| Perceived health status | Excellent | 8,389 | 0.77 | 0.03 |
| Very good | 12,795 | 1.20 | 0.03 | |
| Good | 12,512 | 1.80 | 0.04 | |
| Fair | 5,639 | 2.84 | 0.09 | |
| Poor | 2,275 | 4.07 | 0.16 | |
| Number of medical conditions | 1 | 5,646 | 0.40 | 0.03 |
| 2–4 | 20,359 | 0.94 | 0.02 | |
| 5–9 | 13,294 | 2.45 | 0.05 | |
| ≥10 | 2,629 | 5.31 | 0.16 | |
| Number of other prescription medications | 1 | 7,181 | 0.67 | 0.03 |
| 2–4 | 10,374 | 0.53 | 0.02 | |
| 5–9 | 7,843 | 1.03 | 0.03 | |
| ≥10 | 16,530 | 3.02 | 0.06 | |
| Number of office-based physician visits | 1 | 10,458 | 0.51 | 0.02 |
| 2–4 | 12,986 | 1.16 | 0.03 | |
| 5–9 | 9,512 | 1.95 | 0.05 | |
| ≥10 | 8,972 | 3.14 | 0.07 |
*
p < 0.01 for every variable except census regions, which had a p = 0.089, and marital status, which had a p = 0.019.
†
Categories of poverty status: negative income or poor: < 100% of poverty line; near poor: 100 to < 125% of poverty line; low income: 125 to < 200%; middle income: 200 to < 400%; wealthy: 400% and greater.
‡
Generosity of drug benefit: share of annual drug cost paid by insurance.