Mark Lemstra

Proportion and Risk Indicators of Nonadherence to Statin Therapy: A Meta-analysis

BACKGROUNDnNonadherence to chronic disease medications is important. A growing body of literature suggests that better delivery of established therapies would save more lives than would discovery of innovations. Our first objective was to quantify the proportion of adherence to statin medications. The second objective was to provide estimates of risk indicators associated with nonadherence to statin medications.nnnMETHODSnWe performed a systematic literature review and meta-analysis of all studies published between database inception and June of 2011 that reviewed adherence, and risk indicators associated with nonadherence, to statin medications.nnnRESULTSnIn the end, 67 studies met our inclusion and exclusion criteria and passed our methodological-quality evaluation. Among observational studies, 49.0% (95% confidence interval [CI], 48.9%-49.2%) of patients were adherent to statin medications at 1 year of follow-up. Among randomized trials, 90.3% (95% CI, 89.8%-90.8%) of patients were adherent to statin medications at 1 year of follow-up. The association between 147 variables and adherence to statin medications was determined. After meta-analysis, only 6 variables were associated with nonadherence to statin medications: primary prevention (rate ratio = 1.52; 95% CI, 1.50-1.53); new statin users (rate ratio = 1.46; 95% CI, 1.33-1.61); copayment (rate ratio = 1.28; 95% CI, 1.09-1.50; lower income status (rate ratio = 1.26; 95% CI, 1.16-1.37); fewer than 2 lipid tests performed (rate ratio = 1.38; 95% CI, 1.16-1.64), and not having hypertension (rate ratio = 1.16; 95% CI, 1.12-1.21).nnnCONCLUSIONSnThis study provides some insight into the extent of nonadherence by study type along with 6 risk indicators associated with nonadherence to statin medications.

Lean interventions in healthcare: do they actually work? A systematic literature review

Purpose Lean is a widely used quality improvement methodology initially developed and used in the automotive and manufacturing industries but recently expanded to the healthcare sector. This systematic literature review seeks to independently assess the effect of Lean or Lean interventions on worker and patient satisfaction, health and process outcomes, and financial costs. Data sources We conducted a systematic literature review of Medline, PubMed, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Web of Science, ABI/Inform, ERIC, EMBASE and SCOPUS. Study selection Peer reviewed articles were included if they examined a Lean intervention and included quantitative data. Methodological quality was assessed using validated critical appraisal checklists. Publically available data collected by the Saskatchewan Health Quality Council and the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses were also analysed and reported separately. Data extraction Data on design, methods, interventions and key outcomes were extracted and collated. Results of data synthesis Our electronic search identified 22 articles that passed methodological quality review. Among the accepted studies, 4 were exclusively concerned with health outcomes, 3 included both health and process outcomes and 15 included process outcomes. Our study found that Lean interventions have: (i) no statistically significant association with patient satisfaction and health outcomes; (ii) a negative association with financial costs and worker satisfaction and (iii) potential, yet inconsistent, benefits on process outcomes like patient flow and safety. Conclusion While some may strongly believe that Lean interventions lead to quality improvements in healthcare, the evidence to date simply does not support this claim. More rigorous, higher quality and better conducted scientific research is required to definitively ascertain the impact and effectiveness of Lean in healthcare settings.

Proportion and risk indicators of nonadherence to antihypertensive therapy: a meta-analysis.

Purpose The World Health Organization (WHO) concluded that poor adherence to treatment is the most important cause of uncontrolled high blood pressure, with approximately 75% of patients not achieving optimum blood pressure control. The WHO estimates that between 20% and 80% of patients receiving treatment for hypertension are adherent. As such, the first objective of our study was to quantify the proportion of nonadherence to antihypertensive therapy in real-world observational study settings. The second objective was to provide estimates of independent risk indicators associated with nonadherence to antihypertensive therapy. Materials and methods We performed a systematic literature review and meta-analysis of all studies published between database inception and December 31, 2011 that reviewed adherence, and risk indicators associated with nonadherence, to antihypertensive medications. Results In the end, 26 studies met our inclusion and exclusion criteria and passed our methodological quality evaluation. Of the 26 studies, 48.5% (95% confidence interval 47.7%–49.2%) of patients were adherent to antihypertensive medications at 1 year of follow-up. The associations between 114 variables and nonadherence to antihypertensive medications were reviewed. After meta-analysis, nine variables were associated with nonadherence to antihypertensive medications: diuretics in comparison to angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) and calcium channel blockers (CCBs), ACE inhibitors in comparison to ARBs, CCBs in comparison to ARBs, those with depression or using antidepressants, not having diabetes, lower income status, and minority cultural status. Conclusion This study clarifies the extent of adherence along with determining nine independent risk indicators associated with nonadherence to antihypertensive medications.

Non-adherence in type 2 diabetes: practical considerations for interpreting the literature.

The rising prevalence of type 2 diabetes poses a serious threat to human health and the viability of many health care systems around the world. Although several prescription medications can play a vital role in controlling symptoms and preventing complications, non-adherence to these therapies is highly prevalent and has been linked to increases in morbidity, mortality, and health care costs. Although a vast array of significant adherence predictors has been identified, the ability to explain or predict non-adherence with known risk-factors remains poor. Further, the definitions, outcomes, and various measures used in the non-adherence literature can be misleading for the unfamiliar reviewer. In this narrative review, a practical overview of important considerations for interpreting adherence endpoints and measures is discussed. Also, an organizational framework is proposed to consider published adherence interventions. This framework may allow for a unique appreciation into areas of limited knowledge and thus highlights targets for future research.

Socioeconomic Status and Nonadherence to Antihypertensive Drugs: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUNDnAlthough conventional wisdom suggests that low socioeconomic status (SES) is a robust predictor of medication nonadherence, the strength of this association remains unclear.nnnOBJECTIVESn1) To estimate the proportion of studies that identified SES as a potential risk indicator of nonadherence, 2) to describe the type of SES measurements, and 3) to quantify the association between SES and nonadherence to antihypertensive pharmacotherapy.nnnMETHODSnA systematic review and meta-analysis research design was used. We searched multiple electronic databases for studies in English or French examining nonadherence to antihypertensive medications measured by electronic prescription databases where explanatory factors were considered. Two authors independently assessed quality, described the SES measure(s), and recorded its association with nonadherence to antihypertensives. A random-effects model meta-analysis was performed, and heterogeneity was examined by using the I(2) statistic.nnnRESULTSnFifty-six studies with 4,780,293 subjects met the inclusion criteria. Twenty-four of these studies (43%) did not report any SES measures. When it was reported (n = 32), only seven (13%) examined more than one component but none performed a multidimensional assessment. Most of the studies relied on income or income-related measures (such as prescription-drug benefits or co-payments) (27 of 32 [84%]). Meta-analysis could be quantified in 40 cohorts reported in 30 studies. Overall, the pooled adjusted risk estimate for nonadherence according to SES (high vs. low) was 0.89 (95% confidence interval 0.87-0.92; I(2) = 95%; P < 0.001). Similar patterns were observed in all subgroups examined.nnnCONCLUSIONSnPublished studies have not found a strong association between low SES and nonadherence to antihypertensive medications. However, important limitations in the assessment of SES can be identified in virtually all studies. Future studies are required to ascertain whether a stronger association is observed when SES is determined by comprehensive measures.

Nonadherence to Statin Therapy: Discontinuation After a Single Fill

INTRODUCTIONnAdherence to statin medications is known to be suboptimal. What is less known is the rate of discontinuation immediately after therapy has been initiated. The primary objective of this study was to determine what proportion of nonadherence in the first year of statin therapy was due to discontinuation after a single fill.nnnMETHODSnWe identified new statin users within low-risk (hypertension [HTN]), medium-risk (coronary heart disease [CHD]), and high-risk (heart failure [HF]) cohorts during a 9-year period. All data came from administrative health care databases.nnnRESULTSnThe cohorts included 9445 HTN, 1141 CHD, and 778 HF patients. At 1 year, the proportions of patients with less than 80% adherence to statin medications were 47.9% (HTN), 38.3% (CHD), and 50.0% (HF). Among all patients classified as nonadherent at 1 year, 18.0% of HTN, 16.3% of CHD, and 28.2% of HF patients had discontinued statin medications after only 1 dispensation. Within 3 months of starting statin therapy, 29.7%, 40.3%, and 47.5% of all nonadherent HTN, CHD, and HF patients, respectively, had discontinued the new statin medication. After regression analysis, the only independent covariate that was consistently associated with discontinuation after a single fill was receiving fewer medical follow-up visits.nnnCONCLUSIONSnImmediate discontinuation after a single fill contributes disproportionately to statin nonadherence. This suggests an important time to prevent nonadherence is within the first month of treatment initiation.

The relationship between socioeconomic status/income and prevalence of diabetes and associated conditions: A cross-sectional population-based study in Saskatchewan, Canada

IntroductionThe role that socioeconomic status/income play in accounting for the increased prevalence of type 2 diabetes has not been sufficiently studied in Canada. The primary purpose of the present study was to determine the unadjusted and adjusted effect of income on type 2 diabetes. The secondary purpose was to determine the adjusted effect of income on diabetes associated conditions such as high blood pressure and being overweight or obese, and its main behavioral factor of physical inactivity.MethodsThis is a cross-sectional, population-based study. Data was analyzed from four cycles of the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS). It was conducted by Statistics Canada and covered the time period of 2000–2008 in the province of Saskatchewan, Canada. In this study, four separate and distinct multivariate models were built to determine the independent effect of income on type 2 diabetes and the associated conditions of high blood pressure, being overweight or obese, and physical inactivity.ResultsThe total sample size was comprised of 27,090 residents from Saskatchewan. After statistically controlling for age, only six covariates were independently associated with type 2 diabetes prevalence including: having high blood pressure (ORu2009=u20093.26), visible minority cultural status (ORu2009=u20092.17), being overweight or obese (ORu2009=u20091.97), being of male gender (ORu2009=u20091.76), having a household income of

Risk indicators associated with injection drug use in the Aboriginal population

29,999 per year (ORu2009=u20091.63) and being physically inactive (ORu2009=u20091.15).ConclusionsIn this study, household income was strongly and independently associated with type 2 diabetes prevalence, its associated conditions of high blood pressure and being overweight or obese, and its main behavioral factor of physical inactivity. We suggest that income is an important but frequently overlooked factor for type 2 diabetes and worthy of further investigation, appropriate public debate and timely policy intervention.

Pharmacist Intervention in Cardiac Rehabilitation.: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL.

Abstract In 2009, the incidence of positive HIV tests in the Saskatoon Health Region, Canada, was 31.3 per 100,000 population when the national average was only 9.3 per 100,000 population. A majority of the positive HIV tests were of Aboriginal cultural status with a majority of those associated with injection drug use (IDU). The main objective of the study was to determine the risk indicators independently associated with higher rates of IDU in the Aboriginal population in comparison to other cultural groups. It appears that there is no another study with a similar analysis. From September 2009 to April 2010, 603 current IDUs were interviewed; which represents 76.6% of the known Saskatoon IDUs. In our study population, 88.1% of the current IDUs were of Aboriginal cultural status despite making up only 9.2% of the general population. Comparing Aboriginal IDUs to non-Aboriginal IDUs, our study found that Aboriginal injection users were more likely to be female and younger, less likely to receive paid income and were more likely to attend a Residential School or had a parent or grandparent attend a Residential School. If exposure to Residential Schools is ignored, Aboriginal IDUs were also more likely to use sex trading as a source of income and witness death or experience permanent separation from a parent during youth. Our study has identified a limited number of risk indicators independently associated with higher rates of IDU in the Aboriginal population. More specifically, Residential Schools are having a significant generational impact on current IDU, which might explain higher HIV incidence rates within the Aboriginal population.

Neighbourhood income and cardiac rehabilitation access as determinants of nonattendance and noncompletion.

PURPOSE: We aimed to determine to what extent a telephone-based pharmacist intervention would (a) be utilized by individuals not attending a traditional cardiac rehabilitation (CR) program and (b) facilitate adherence to cardiovascular medications. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, controlled open-label trial among patients eligible for CR in Saskatoon, Canada. Patients were invited to participate in telephone-based CR, regardless of participation in the formal program. Subjects in the intervention group were assessed by the CR pharmacist and received education and counseling on medication adherence. The primary endpoint was adherence to cardiovascular medication assessed by electronic filling records over a minimum of 6 months. Mean adherence was expected to reach 70% during the followup period. RESULTS: Patient recruitment was halted early because of low enrollment. Of the 95 patients randomized, 90% had also registered in the traditional CR program. During the followup period, 129 telephone interactions were performed (median, 2 calls), with every subject taking part in at least 1 interaction. Over the study period, the mean adherence to all recently initiated cardiovascular medications combined was 88.8% in the intervention group and 89.9% in the usual care group (P = .73). CONCLUSIONS: Participation in traditional CR programs does not appear to be influenced by the availability of telephone-based education and support. Furthermore, the high rate of adherence among the control group may suggest that CR programs are attracting “healthy adherers” who volunteer for such programs, while missing those with the greatest need for health care system resources.