Table 1.
Baseline Characteristics of Study Population
| Characteristic | NCC Plus Pill Organizer, n = 133 | NCC Plus Medicine-Dispensing Machine, n = 148 | Control, n = 122 | P-Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age, mean ± SD | 79.5 ± 7.6 | 79.5 ± 7.9 | 78.2 ± 7.1 | .31 |
| Female, % | 67.6 | 68.2 | 61.5 | .45 |
| Race and ethnicity, % | ||||
| White | 84.2 | 81.1 | 90.2 | .11 |
| Black | 15.8 | 18.9 | 9.8 | .11 |
| Hispanic | 4.5 | 1.4 | 0.8 | .09 |
| Lives alone, % | 45.9 | 54.7 | 47.5 | .29 |
| Chronic conditions, n (%) | ||||
| Dementia | 29 (14) | 24 (16) | 7 (6) | .02 |
| Atrial fibrillation | 17 (13) | 21 (14) | 17 (14) | .94 |
| Kidney disease | 15 (11) | 13 (9) | 10 (8) | .66 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease | 20 (15) | 21 (14) | 17 (14) | .97 |
| Depression | 38 (29) | 31 (21) | 18 (15) | .03 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 50 (38) | 57 (39) | 46 (38) | .99 |
| Heart failure | 10 (8) | 10 (7) | 14 (11) | .34 |
| Ischemic heart disease | 19 (14) | 18 (12) | 18 (15) | .80 |
| Osteoporosis | 7 (5) | 7 (5) | 7 (5) | .93 |
| Stroke | 13 (10) | 12 (8) | 7 (5) | .49 |
| Hierarchical Condition Category score, mean ± SD | 3.6 ± 1.9 | 3.3 ± 1.8 | 3.1 ± 1.7 | .69 |
| Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short-Form Survey score, mean ± SD | ||||
| Physical component subscale | 34.2 ± 9.4 | 33.7 ± 9.4 | 35.7 ± 10.3 | .22 |
| Mental component subscale | 49.4 ± 12.0 | 48.2 ± 12.2 | 54.1 ± 11.3 | >.001 |
| Monthly Medicare cost 12 months before study, $, mean ± SD | 2,800 ± 3,036 | 2,505 ± 2,675 | 2,350 ± 2,210 | .44 |
NCC = nurse care coordination; SD = standard deviation.