scholarly journals Health Costs of Older Opioid Users with Pain and Comorbid Hypercholesterolemia or Hypertension in the United States

Diseases ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 41
Author(s):  
David R. Axon ◽  
Srujitha Marupuru ◽  
Shannon Vaffis

This retrospective cross-sectional database study used 2018 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data to quantify and assess differences in healthcare expenditures between opioid users and non-users among a non-institutionalized sample of older (≥50 years) United States adults with pain in the past four weeks and a diagnosis of comorbid hypercholesterolemia (pain–hypercholesterolemia group) or hypertension (pain–hypertension group). Hierarchical multivariable linear regression models were constructed by using logarithmically transformed positive cost data and adjusting for relevant factors to assess cost differences between groups. Percent difference between opioid users and non-users was calculated by using semi-logarithmic equations. Healthcare costs included inpatient, outpatient, office-based, emergency room, prescription medication, other, and total costs. In adjusted analyses, compared to non-users, opioid users in the pain–hypercholesterolemia and pain–hypertension groups respectively had 66% and 60% greater inpatient expenditure, 46% and 55% greater outpatient expenditure, 67% and 72% greater office-based expenditure, 50% and 60% greater prescription medication expenditure, 24% and 22% greater other healthcare expenditure, and 85% and 93% greater total healthcare expenditure. In conclusion, adjusted total healthcare expenditures were 85–93% greater among opioid users versus non-users in older United States adults with pain and comorbid hypercholesterolemia or hypertension. Future research is needed to identify opioid use predictors among these populations and reduce expenditures.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael E. Johansen ◽  
Joshua D. Niforatos ◽  
Jeremey B. Sussman

AbstractBackgroundAntihypertensives are the most used medication type in the United States, yet there remains uncertainty about the use of different antihypertensives. We sought to characterize use of antihypertensives by and within medication class(es) between 1997-2017.MethodsA repeated cross-sectional study of 493,596 adult individuals using the 1997-2017 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). The Orange Book and published research were used for adjunctive information. The primary outcome was the estimated use by and within anti-hypertensive medication class(es).ResultsThe proportion of individuals taking any antihypertensive during a year increased from 1997 to the early 2010’s and then remained stable. The proportion of the population taking 2 or more medications declined from 2015-2017. The proportion of adults using angiotensin II receptor-blockers (ARBs) and dihydropyridine calcium channel-blockers (CCBs) increased during the study period, while angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-Is) increased until 2010 after which rates remained stable. Beta-blocker use was similar to ACE-Is with an earlier decline starting in 2012. Thiazide diuretic use increased from 1997-2007, leveled off until 2014, and declined from 2015-2017. Non-dihydropyridine CCBs use declined throughout the study. ACE-Is, ARBs, CCBs, thiazide diuretics, and loop diuretics all had one dominant in-class medication. There was a clear increase in the use of losartan within ARBs, lisinopril within ACE-Is, and amlodipine within CCBs following generic conversion. Furosemide and hydrochlorothiazide started with and maintained a dominant position in their classes. Metoprolol use increased throughout the study and became the dominant beta-blocker, while atenolol peaked around 2005 and then declined thereafter.ConclusionsAntihypertensive classes appear to have a propensity to equilibrate to an individual medication, despite a lack of outcomes based research to compare medications within a class. Future research could focus on comparative effectiveness for within-class medications early in the life cycle of therapeutics that are probable to have wide spread use.


2021 ◽  
pp. 089826432110118
Author(s):  
Srujitha Marupuru ◽  
David R Axon

Objectives: This cross-sectional study compared the healthcare expenditures associated with multimorbidity (having ≥2 chronic conditions) versus no multimorbidity among older United States (US) adults (aged ≥ 50 years) with self-reported pain in the past 4 weeks. Methods: This research used data from the 2018 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Adjusted linear regression models evaluated group differences in various annual healthcare expenditures. Results: Descriptive statistics indicated multimorbidity was associated with all personal characteristics ( p < 0.05) except gender and smoking status ( p > 0.05). Multimorbidity had 75.8% greater annual total health expenditures ( p = 0.0083), 40.6% greater office-based expenditures ( p = 0.0224), 100.6% greater prescription medication costs, ( p = 0.0268), yet 47.3% lower inpatient expenditures ( p = 0.0158), and 56.6% lower home healthcare expenditures ( p < 0.0001) than no multimorbidity. Discussion: This study found greater healthcare expenditures among older US adults with pain and multimorbidity, which captures the financial burden of comorbidity in this population.


2010 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
John F Cogan ◽  
R. Glenn Hubbard ◽  
Daniel Kessler

In this paper, we use publicly available data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey - Insurance Component (MEPS-IC) to investigate the effect of Massachusetts' health reform plan on employer-sponsored insurance premiums. We tabulate premium growth for private-sector employers in Massachusetts and the United States as a whole for 2004 - 2008. We estimate the effect of the plan as the difference in premium growth between Massachusetts and the United States between 2006 and 2008—that is, before versus after the plan—over and above the difference in premium growth for 2004 to 2006. We find that health reform in Massachusetts increased single-coverage employer-sponsored insurance premiums by about 6 percent, or $262. Although our research design has important limitations, it does suggest that policy makers should be concerned about the consequences of health reform for the cost of private insurance.


2013 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 82-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geraldine Pierre ◽  
Roland J. Thorpe ◽  
Gniesha Y. Dinwiddie ◽  
Darrell J. Gaskin

This article sought to determine whether racial disparities exist in psychotropic drug use and expenditures in a nationally representative sample of men in the United States. Data were extracted from the 2000-2009 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, a longitudinal survey that covers the U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population. Full-Year Consolidated, Medical Conditions, and Prescribed Medicines data files were merged across 10 years of data. The sample of interest was limited to adult males aged 18 to 64 years, who reported their race as White, Black, Hispanic, or Asian. This study employed a pooled cross-sectional design and a two-part probit generalized linear model for analyses. Minority men reported a lower probability of psychotropic drug use (Black = −4.3%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [−5.5, −3.0]; Hispanic = −3.8%, 95% CI = [−5.1, −2.6]; Asian = −4.5%, 95% CI = [−6.2, −2.7]) compared with White men. After controlling for demographic, socioeconomic, and health status variables, there were no statistically significant race differences in drug expenditures. Consistent with previous literature, racial and ethnic disparities in the use of psychotropic drugs present problems of access to mental health care and services.


Healthcare ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 341
Author(s):  
David R. Axon ◽  
Shannon Vaffis ◽  
Srujitha Marupuru

The prevalence of older adults with pain and comorbid cardiovascular conditions is increasing in the United States (U.S.). This retrospective, cross-sectional database study used 2017 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data and hierarchical logistic regression models to identify predictive characteristics of opioid use among a nationally representative sample of older U.S. adults (aged ≥50 years) with pain in the past four weeks and comorbid hypertension (pain–hypertension group) or hypercholesterolemia (pain–hypercholesterolemia group). The pain–hypertension group included 2733 subjects (n = 803 opioid users) and the pain–hypercholesterolemia group included 2796 subjects (n = 795 opioid users). In both groups, predictors of opioid use included: White race versus others, Hispanic versus non-Hispanic ethnicity, 1 versus ≥5 chronic conditions, little/moderate versus quite a bit/extreme pain, good versus fair/poor perceived mental health, functional limitation versus no functional limitation, smoker versus non-smoker, and Northeast versus West census region. In addition, Midwest versus West census region was a predictor in the pain–hypertension group, and 4 versus ≥5 chronic conditions was a predictor in the pain–hypercholesterolemia group. In conclusion, several characteristics of older U.S. adults with pain and comorbid hypertension or hypercholesterolemia were predictive of opioid use. These characteristics could be addressed to optimize individuals’ pain management and help address the opioid overdose epidemic.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Priyanka Bhugra ◽  
Reed Mszar ◽  
Javier Valero-Elizondo ◽  
Gowtham R Grandhi ◽  
Salim S Virani ◽  
...  

Abstract National estimates describing the overall prevalence of and disparities in influenza vaccination among patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) in United States are not well described. Therefore, we analyzed the prevalence of influenza vaccination among adults with DM, overall and by sociodemographic characteristics, using the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey database from 2008 to 2016. Associations between sociodemographic factors and lack of vaccination were examined using adjusted logistic regression. Among adults with DM, 36% lacked influenza vaccination. Independent predictors of lacking influenza vaccination included age 18 to 39 years (odds ratio [OR] 2.54; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.14-3.00), Black race/ethnicity (OR 1.29; 95% CI, 1.14-1.46), uninsured status (OR 1.88; 95% CI, 1.59-2.21), and no usual source of care (OR 1.61; 95% CI, 1.39-1.85). Nearly 64% individuals with ≥ 4 higher-risk sociodemographic characteristics lacked influenza vaccination (OR 3.50; 95% CI 2.79-4.39). One-third of adults with DM in the United States lack influenza vaccination, with younger age, Black race, and lower socioeconomic status serving as strong predictors. These findings highlight the continued need for focused public health interventions to increase vaccine coverage and utilization among disadvantaged communities.


2011 ◽  
Vol 127 (2) ◽  
pp. 363-369.e3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick W. Sullivan ◽  
Vahram H. Ghushchyan ◽  
Julia F. Slejko ◽  
Vasily Belozeroff ◽  
Denise R. Globe ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Vol 55 (5) ◽  
pp. 286-291
Author(s):  
Jonathan H. Watanabe ◽  
Jincheng Yang

Introduction: Concurrent opioid and benzodiazepine use (“double-threat”) and double-threat and muscle relaxant use (“triple-threat”) are postulated to increase morbidity versus opioids alone. Study objectives were to measure association between double- and triple-threat exposure and hospitalizations in a validated, nationally representative database of the United States. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the 2013 and 2014 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) longitudinal dataset and affiliated Prescribed Medicines Files. Association between 2013 and 2014 double- and triple-threat exposures and outcome of hospitalizations compared to nonusers, opioid users, and all combinations were assessed via logistic regression. The cohort surveyed in MEPS has been weighted to be reflective of the actual US population in the years 2013 and 2014. Logistic regression applying the subject-level MEPS survey weights was performed to measure association via odds ratios (ORs) of medication exposures with the outcome of all-cause hospitalization. Study subjects were categorized into exposure groups as nonusers (nonuse of opioids, benzodiazepines, or muscle relaxants), opioid users, benzodiazepine users, muscle relaxant users, “double-threat” users, and “triple-threat” users. Analyses were conducted using RStudio® 1.1.5 (Boston, MA) with α level = 0.05 for all comparisons. Results: Opioids, benzodiazepines, and muscle relaxants were used in 11.9% (38.4 million), 4.2% (13.5 million), and 3.4% (10.9 million) lives of the United States in 2013, respectively. Double-threat prevalence rose from 1.6% to 1.9% from 2013 to 2014. Triple-threat prevalence remained unchanged at 0.53%. Compared to nonusers, triple-threat patients increased hospitalization probability with ORs of 8.52 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 8.50-8.55) in 2013, 5.06 (95% CI: 5.04-5.08) in 2014, and 4.61 (95% CI: 4.59-4.63) in the 2013-2014 longitudinal analysis. Compared to nonusers, double-threat patients increased hospitalization probability with ORs of 5.71 (95% CI: 5.69-5.72) in 2013, 11.47 (95% CI: 11.44-11.49) in 2014, and 5.59 (95% CI: 5.57-5.60) in the longitudinal analysis. Conclusion: Concurrent opioid and benzodiazepine use and opioid, benzodiazepine, and muscle relaxant use were associated with increased hospitalization likelihood. Amplified efforts in surveillance, prescribing, monitoring, and deprescribing for concurrent opioid, benzodiazepine, and muscle relaxant use are needed to reduce this public health concern.


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