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Published on: May 16, 2019
Generic antiepileptic drug prescribing: a cross-sectional study
Jennifer Meyer1, David Fardo, Steven T Fleming
1University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy, Lexington, KY, USA. JMeyer1686@gmail.com
Epilepsy & Behavior : E&B
|November 28, 2012
Summary
Older adults and Medicaid patients were more likely to receive generic antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). However, patients in the Northeast region had lower odds of receiving generic AEDs, highlighting potential healthcare disparities.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacoeconomics
- Health Services Research
- Neurology
Background:
- The utilization of generic antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) for epilepsy management remains a subject of debate.
- Understanding factors influencing generic AED prescription patterns is crucial for equitable healthcare access.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine patient characteristics associated with a higher likelihood of receiving generic AED products.
- To identify potential healthcare disparities in generic AED prescribing.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of a large commercial insurance database.
- Inclusion of patients with a primary epilepsy diagnosis prescribed an AED within a three-month period.
Main Results:
- Patients aged 65 years and older showed a 15.7% increased likelihood of receiving generic AEDs (OR = 1.157).
- Medicaid beneficiaries had 2.44 times the odds of receiving generic AED prescriptions (OR = 2.44).
- Individuals residing in the Northeast region exhibited a 12.6% decreased likelihood of receiving generic AEDs (OR = 0.874).
Conclusions:
- Patient age, insurance type (Medicaid), and geographic region (Northeast) are significant factors influencing generic AED use.
- Observed disparities in generic AED prescribing warrant further investigation.
- These patient characteristics may serve as important confounders in future epilepsy treatment studies.
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