Studies from Emory University Have Provided New Data on Epilepsy (Adherence to antiepileptic drugs among diverse older Americans on Part D Medicare)

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Weekly News -- Current study results on Central Nervous System Diseases and Conditions - Epilepsy have been published. According to news reporting from Atlanta, Georgia, by VerticalNews journalists, research stated, "Older minority groups are more likely to have poor AED adherence. We describe adherence to antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) among older Americans with epilepsy."

The news correspondents obtained a quote from the research from Emory University, "In retrospective analyses of 2008-2010 Medicare claims for a 5% random sample of beneficiaries augmented by minority representation, epilepsy cases in 2009 were those with >= 1 claim with ICD-9345.x or with 780.3x, and >= 1 AED. New-onset cases had no such claims or AEDs in the year before the 2009 index event. We calculated the Proportion of Days Covered (PDC) (days with >= 1 AED over total follow-up days) and used logistic regression to estimate associations of non-adherence (PDC <0.8) with minority group adjusting for covariates. Of 36,912 epilepsy cases (19.2% White, 62.5% African American (AA), 11.3% Hispanic, 5.0% Asian and 2% American Indian/Alaskan Native), 31.8% were non-adherent (range: 24.1% Whites to 343% AAs). Of 3706 new onset cases, 37% were non-adherent (range: 28.7% Whites to 40.5% AAs). In adjusted analyses, associations with minority group were significant among prevalent cases, and for AA and Asians vs. Whites among new cases. Among other findings, beneficiaries from high-poverty ZIP codes were more likely to be non-adherent than their counterparts, and those in cost-sharing drug benefit phases were less likely to be non-adherent than those in deductible phases. About a third of older adults with epilepsy have poor AED adherence; minorities are more likely than Whites."

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: "Investigations of reasons for non-adherence, and interventions to promote adherence, are needed with particular attention to the effect of cost-sharing and poverty."

For more information on this research see: Adherence to antiepileptic drugs among diverse older Americans on Part D Medicare. Epilepsy & Behavior, 2017;66():68-73. Epilepsy & Behavior can be contacted at: Academic Press Inc Elsevier Science, 525 B St, Ste 1900, San Diego, CA 92101-4495, USA. (Elsevier - www.elsevier.com; Epilepsy & Behavior - www.journals.elsevier.com/epilepsy-and-behavior/)

Our news journalists report that additional information may be obtained by contacting K. Piper, Emory University, Dept. of Gynecol & Obstet, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States. Additional authors for this research include J. Richman, E. Faught, R. Martin, E. Funkhouser, J.P. Szaflarski, C. Dai, L. Juarez and M. Pisu.

Keywords for this news article include: Atlanta, Georgia, United States, North and Central America, Central Nervous System Diseases and Conditions, Brain Diseases and Conditions, Drugs and Therapies, Antiepileptics, Health Policy, Medicare, Epilepsy, Emory University.

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