1. Adherence to controller asthma medications: 6-month prevalence across a US community pharmacy chain.
- Author
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Feehan, M., Ranker, L., Durante, R., Cooper, D. K., Jones, G. J., Young, D. C., and Munger, M. A.
- Subjects
ADRENERGIC beta agonists ,ADRENOCORTICAL hormones ,HORMONE therapy ,DRUG therapy for asthma ,AGE distribution ,COMBINATION drug therapy ,CHI-squared test ,DRUGS ,DRUGSTORES ,PATIENT compliance ,RESEARCH funding ,SEX distribution ,SECONDARY analysis ,DESCRIPTIVE statistics ,THERAPEUTICS - Abstract
What is known and objective Non-adherence to controller asthma medications is an important public health problem. It is estimated to occur in 30-70% of individuals and is a significant risk factor for asthma morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to determine the level of adherence, as indicated by refill rates, to controller asthma medications in a community pharmacy setting. Methods Secondary analyses of a community pharmacy dispensing database in 15 locations throughout Utah. Results and discussion The dispensing records of 2193 patients who received controller medications for asthma in a 12-month period, and had a minimum of 6-month potential coverage (180 days) from the date of their first receipt of a controller medication in that period, were examined. Using standard metrics to gauge adherence, the proportion of days covered ( PDC) and the medication possession ratio ( MPR), the average coverage for controller asthma medications across a 6-month period (180 days) was poor, averaging less than 50% of days' availability. Standard cut-offs (≥80% medication availability) indicated that only 14-16% of patients had 'satisfactory' adherence over their 6-month follow-on period. Females and older patients had significantly greater satisfactory adherence. Medication adherence was significantly greater with inhaled corticosteroid ( ICS)-long-acting β
2 -agonist ( LABA) combinations than with ICS alone. What is new and conclusion This study confirms the considerable scope of the asthma therapy non-adherence problem. Therefore, it is imperative to conduct survey-based research linked directly to pharmacy-based dispensing data to derive patient behavioural, attitudinal and environmental factors that may contribute to the issue, and then pilot and evaluate interventions for change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2015
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