DIFFERENCES IN PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS AND OUTCOMES BY MEDICATION ADHERENCE AMONG US ADULTS TREATED FOR HIGH CHOLESTEROL
Author(s)
Jacob Matta, MPH1, Kyla Finlayson, MS2;
1Oracle Life Sciences, Biostatistician, Austin, TX, USA, 2Oracle Life Science, Austin, TX, USA
1Oracle Life Sciences, Biostatistician, Austin, TX, USA, 2Oracle Life Science, Austin, TX, USA
OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated differences in demographic and clinical characteristics, as well as patient-reported outcomes (PROs) among adherent and non-adherent US adults treated for hypercholesterolemia.
METHODS: 12,654 adults who were diagnosed and treated with a prescription medication for hypercholesterolemia were identified and analyzed from the 2024 US National Health and Wellness Survey, an online survey of the general US adult population. Patients were classified as either perfectly adherent (n=3,553) or non-adherent (n=9,101) using the Adherence to Refills and Medications Scale (ARMS), where a score of 12 indicates perfect adherence and scores greater than 12 indicate at least some non-adherence. Patient-reported outcomes included 6-month counts of health care provider (HCP) visits, emergency room (ER) visits, and hospitalizations, cholesterol and triglyceride level categories, years since diagnosis, and RAND mental health (MHC), physical health (PHC), and global health (GHC) composite scores. Between-group differences were assessed using t-tests or chi-square tests and standardized mean differences (SMDs) were reported.
RESULTS: Non-adherent patients had higher 6-month healthcare resource utilization (HCRU): mean HCP visits 6.18 vs 5.73 (p=0.001; SMD=0.067), mean ER visits 0.283 vs 0.241 (p=0.022; SMD=0.048), and mean hospitalizations 0.177 vs 0.141 (p=0.008; SMD=0.056). Adherent patients were slightly older (mean age 66.3 vs 65.1 years; p<0.001; SMD=0.108) and more often Medicare-insured (57.9% vs 54.1 percent). Clinical differences were small; versus non-adherent patients, adherent patients had more normal cholesterol (52.2% vs 49.4%), less elevated cholesterol (12.5% vs 14.7%), and more normal triglycerides (36.1% vs 32.6%). Average years since diagnosis was higher for adherent patients: 15.4 vs 14.5 (p<0.001; SMD=0.073). Health-related quality of life measures was significantly different among adherent vs. non-adherent US adults: RAND-MHC 59.2 vs 57.6 (p<0.001; SMD=0.140) and RAND-PHC 54.9 vs 53.6 (p<0.001; SMD=0.124).
CONCLUSIONS: Among US adults treated for hypercholesterolemia, patients adherent to medication reported lower health care resource utilization and better clinical outcomes compared to non-adherent patients.
METHODS: 12,654 adults who were diagnosed and treated with a prescription medication for hypercholesterolemia were identified and analyzed from the 2024 US National Health and Wellness Survey, an online survey of the general US adult population. Patients were classified as either perfectly adherent (n=3,553) or non-adherent (n=9,101) using the Adherence to Refills and Medications Scale (ARMS), where a score of 12 indicates perfect adherence and scores greater than 12 indicate at least some non-adherence. Patient-reported outcomes included 6-month counts of health care provider (HCP) visits, emergency room (ER) visits, and hospitalizations, cholesterol and triglyceride level categories, years since diagnosis, and RAND mental health (MHC), physical health (PHC), and global health (GHC) composite scores. Between-group differences were assessed using t-tests or chi-square tests and standardized mean differences (SMDs) were reported.
RESULTS: Non-adherent patients had higher 6-month healthcare resource utilization (HCRU): mean HCP visits 6.18 vs 5.73 (p=0.001; SMD=0.067), mean ER visits 0.283 vs 0.241 (p=0.022; SMD=0.048), and mean hospitalizations 0.177 vs 0.141 (p=0.008; SMD=0.056). Adherent patients were slightly older (mean age 66.3 vs 65.1 years; p<0.001; SMD=0.108) and more often Medicare-insured (57.9% vs 54.1 percent). Clinical differences were small; versus non-adherent patients, adherent patients had more normal cholesterol (52.2% vs 49.4%), less elevated cholesterol (12.5% vs 14.7%), and more normal triglycerides (36.1% vs 32.6%). Average years since diagnosis was higher for adherent patients: 15.4 vs 14.5 (p<0.001; SMD=0.073). Health-related quality of life measures was significantly different among adherent vs. non-adherent US adults: RAND-MHC 59.2 vs 57.6 (p<0.001; SMD=0.140) and RAND-PHC 54.9 vs 53.6 (p<0.001; SMD=0.124).
CONCLUSIONS: Among US adults treated for hypercholesterolemia, patients adherent to medication reported lower health care resource utilization and better clinical outcomes compared to non-adherent patients.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2026-05, ISPOR 2026, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Value in Health, Volume 29, Issue S6
Code
PCR121
Topic
Patient-Centered Research
Topic Subcategory
Adherence, Persistence, & Compliance, Patient-reported Outcomes & Quality of Life Outcomes
Disease
SDC: Cardiovascular Disorders (including MI, Stroke, Circulatory), SDC: Diabetes/Endocrine/Metabolic Disorders (including obesity)