Exploring Racial and Ethnic Differences in Utilization of Medications for Obesity Management in a Nationally...

Area of Science:

• Medical Economics
• Public Health
• Clinical Pharmacology

Background:

• Obesity disproportionately affects racial and ethnic minority groups.
• Existing research indicates a significant burden of obesity within these populations.
• Understanding disparities in treatment is crucial for health equity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate racial and ethnic disparities in the utilization of obesity-management medications.
• To compare medication use among clinically eligible individuals across different racial and ethnic groups.
• To identify potential inequities in access to evidence-based obesity treatments.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data (2011-2016, 2018, 2020) with a cross-sectional design.
• Employed descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression to analyze medication utilization.
• Controlled for demographics, socioeconomic status, obesity class, diabetes, chronic conditions, insurance, and region.

Main Results:

• Asian, Black, and Hispanic individuals demonstrated significantly lower odds of using obesity-management medications compared to Non-Hispanic White individuals.
• Adjusted odds ratios (aOR) indicated reduced utilization across these minority groups (e.g., Asian: aOR 0.36, Black: aOR 0.51, Hispanic: aOR 0.70).
• Statistical significance was observed for all comparisons (P < 0.05).

Conclusions:

• This study reveals significant racial and ethnic disparities in the utilization of obesity-management medications.
• These findings underscore inequities in obesity pharmacotherapy access for minority populations.
• Addressing these disparities is essential for achieving equitable obesity care outcomes.