TY - JOUR
T1 - Prevalence of statin utilization and adherence among privately insured subjects in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
AU - Hernández-Muñoz, José J.
AU - Wong, Emily S.
AU - Kamdar, Chandni R.
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors thank Ashley Parambil, Toney Duong, Ishimwe Masozera, and Uyen Hoang, pharmacy students from the Texas A&M University Irma L. Rangel College of Pharmacy, for their contributions during the preparation phase of the manuscript. The authors also thank Dr. Natalie Rosario, Clinical Assistant Professor at the Texas A&M University Irma L. Rangel College of Pharmacy, for her clinical review and comments on the final draft of the manuscript. Thanks are also extended to Dr. Martty Martínez-Fraticelli, Dr. Iris V. Román-Bermúdez, and Mrs. Leidy Betancourt for their clinical and technical support regarding the pharmacy claims data used to conduct this study.
Publisher Copyright:
Copyright©2021, Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy. All rights reserved.
PY - 2021/3
Y1 - 2021/3
N2 - BACKGROUND: Puerto Ricans are the Hispanic subgroup with the highest adjusted prevalence of statin-eligible patients. However, no study has described statin utilization and adherence among subjects living on the island of Puerto Rico. OBJECTIVES: To (a) estimate the prevalence of beneficiaries with diabetes aged between 40 and 75 years; (b) estimate the prevalence of statin utilization among beneficiaries with diabetes; and (c) estimate secondary adherence to statins among beneficiaries with diabetes. METHODS: With pharmacy claims data from a commercial pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, this study used a retrospective longitudinal design to analyze all pharmacy claims generated by 115,674 beneficiaries aged between 40 and 75 years with continuous enrollment during 2018. Beneficiaries with diabetes were defined by having ≥2 pharmacy claims for antidiabetic agents during 2018. Statin utilization was defined by having ≥1 pharmacy claim for statins among beneficiaries with diabetes. The proportion of days covered (PDC) was used to measure secondary adherence to statins. Parametric and nonparametric statistics were used to describe statin utilization and adherence. RESULTS: The prevalence of beneficiaries with diabetes was 7.8%. Of the 8,975 beneficiaries with diabetes, 5,129 (57.1%) received ≥1 prescription for a statin. Older males with diabetes were more likely to receive prescriptions for statins. The median PDC for the 4,553 beneficiaries with ≥2 prescriptions for statins was 63.4%; 3,306 (72.6%) beneficiaries filled their statin prescriptions for a 30-day supply only; and 1,252 (27.5%) beneficiaries had a PDC≥80%. The highest PDC (92.3%) was observed for beneficiaries who received statins for a 90-day supply only. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study that has measured statin utilization and adherence among patients with diabetes living in Puerto Rico. The utilization and adherence to statins among privately insured beneficiaries with diabetes in Puerto Rico are suboptimal. Future studies should focus on understanding the reasons for the suboptimal use of statins and on potential interventions at the beneficiary and provider level to increase statin utilization.
AB - BACKGROUND: Puerto Ricans are the Hispanic subgroup with the highest adjusted prevalence of statin-eligible patients. However, no study has described statin utilization and adherence among subjects living on the island of Puerto Rico. OBJECTIVES: To (a) estimate the prevalence of beneficiaries with diabetes aged between 40 and 75 years; (b) estimate the prevalence of statin utilization among beneficiaries with diabetes; and (c) estimate secondary adherence to statins among beneficiaries with diabetes. METHODS: With pharmacy claims data from a commercial pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, this study used a retrospective longitudinal design to analyze all pharmacy claims generated by 115,674 beneficiaries aged between 40 and 75 years with continuous enrollment during 2018. Beneficiaries with diabetes were defined by having ≥2 pharmacy claims for antidiabetic agents during 2018. Statin utilization was defined by having ≥1 pharmacy claim for statins among beneficiaries with diabetes. The proportion of days covered (PDC) was used to measure secondary adherence to statins. Parametric and nonparametric statistics were used to describe statin utilization and adherence. RESULTS: The prevalence of beneficiaries with diabetes was 7.8%. Of the 8,975 beneficiaries with diabetes, 5,129 (57.1%) received ≥1 prescription for a statin. Older males with diabetes were more likely to receive prescriptions for statins. The median PDC for the 4,553 beneficiaries with ≥2 prescriptions for statins was 63.4%; 3,306 (72.6%) beneficiaries filled their statin prescriptions for a 30-day supply only; and 1,252 (27.5%) beneficiaries had a PDC≥80%. The highest PDC (92.3%) was observed for beneficiaries who received statins for a 90-day supply only. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study that has measured statin utilization and adherence among patients with diabetes living in Puerto Rico. The utilization and adherence to statins among privately insured beneficiaries with diabetes in Puerto Rico are suboptimal. Future studies should focus on understanding the reasons for the suboptimal use of statins and on potential interventions at the beneficiary and provider level to increase statin utilization.
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U2 - 10.18553/JMCP.2021.27.3.392
DO - 10.18553/JMCP.2021.27.3.392
M3 - Article
C2 - 33645248
AN - SCOPUS:85102231506
SN - 2376-0540
VL - 27
SP - 392
EP - 398
JO - Journal of Managed Care and Specialty Pharmacy
JF - Journal of Managed Care and Specialty Pharmacy
IS - 3
ER -