Journal
JOURNALS OF GERONTOLOGY SERIES B-PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
Volume 63, Issue 5, Pages S328-S333Publisher
OXFORD UNIV PRESS INC
DOI: 10.1093/geronb/63.5.S328
Keywords
dementia; health disparities; anti-dementia medication; Medicare beneficiaries
Funding
- NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON AGING [K01AG022011, T32AG000262] Funding Source: NIH RePORTER
- NIA NIH HHS [T32AG000262, K01 AG022011, T32 AG000262, K01AG22011] Funding Source: Medline
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Objectives. Numerous studies have documented disparities in health care utilization between non-Hispanic White and minority elders. We investigated differences in anti-dementia medication use between non-Hispanic White and minority community-dwelling Medicare beneficiaries with dementia. Methods. Using multivariate analysis with generalized estimating equations, we estimated prevalence ratios (PRs) for anti-dementia medication use by race/ethnicity for 1,120 beneficiaries with dementia from years 2001 through 2003 of the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey. Results. After adjusting for demographics, socioeconomics, health care access and utilization, comorbidities, and service year, we found that anti-dementia medication use was approximately 30% higher among non-Hispanic Whites compared to other racial/ethnic groups (PR = 0.73, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.59, 0.91). As for individual racial/ethnic groups, prevalence disparities remained significant for non-Hispanic Blacks (PR = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.57, 0.99) and non-Hispanic others (PR = 0.50, 95% CI = 0.26,. 0.96) but were attenuated tor Hispanics (PR = 0.84, 95% CI = 0.59, 1.20). Discussion. Results provide evidence that racial/ethnic disparities in utilization of drugs used to treat dementia exist and are not accounted for by differences in demographic, economic, health Status, or health utilization factors. Findings provide a foundation for further research that should use larger numbers of minority patients and consider dementia type and severity. access to specialty dementia care, and cultural factors.
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