New prescription medication gaps: a comprehensive measure of adherence to new prescriptions.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Describe a novel approach to comprehensively summarize medication adherence.

Data sources/study setting

Kaiser Permanente Northern California Diabetes Registry (n approximately 220,000)

Study design

In a new prescription cohort design (27,329 subjects prescribed new medications), we used pharmacy utilization data to estimate adherence during 24 months follow-up. Proportion of time without sufficient medications (medication gaps) was estimated using a novel measure (New Prescription Medication Gaps [NPMG]) and compared with a traditional measure of adherence.

Data collection/extraction methods

Data derived from electronic medical records and survey responses.

Principal findings

Twenty-two percent of patients did not become ongoing users (had zer

SUBMITTER: Karter AJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2754552 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature