Racial And Ethnic Disparities In Buprenorphine Receipt Among Medicare Beneficiaries, 2015-19.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Miles J
PROVIDER: S-EPMC10910625 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Oct
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Racial And Ethnic Disparities In Buprenorphine Receipt Among Medicare Beneficiaries, 2015-19.
Miles Jennifer J Treitler Peter P Lloyd James J Samples Hillary H Mahone Anais A Hermida Richard R Gupta Sumedha S Duncan Alexandra A Baaklini Vanessa V Simon Kosali I KI Crystal Stephen S
Health affairs (Project Hope) 20231001 10
We examined Medicare Part D claims from the period 2015-19 to identify state and national racial and ethnic disparities in buprenorphine receipt among Medicare disability beneficiaries with diagnosed opioid use disorder or opioid overdose. Racial and ethnic disparities in buprenorphine use remained persistently high during the study period, especially for Black beneficiaries, suggesting the need for targeted interventions and policies. ...[more]
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Project description:BackgroundMedicare disability beneficiaries (MDBs) have disproportionately high risk of opioid use disorder (OUD) and related harms given high rates of comorbidities and high-dose opioid prescribing. Despite this increased risk, little is known about timely receipt of medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD), including potential disparities by patient race/ethnicity or moderation by county-level characteristics.MethodsNational Medicare claims for a sample of MDBs with incident OUD diagnosis between March 2016 and June 2019 were linked with county-level data. Multivariable mixed effects Cox proportional hazards models estimated time (in days) to buprenorphine receipt within 180 days of incident OUD diagnosis. Primary exposures included individual-level race/ethnicity and county-level buprenorphine prescriber availability, percent non-Hispanic white (NHW) residents, and Social Deprivation Index (SDI) score.ResultsThe sample (n=233,079) was predominantly White (72.3%), ≥45 years old (76.3%), and male (54.8%). Black (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]=0.50; 95% CI, 0.47-0.54), Asian/Pacific Islander (aHR=0.54; 95% CI, 0.41-0.72), Hispanic/Latinx (aHR=0.81; 95% CI, 0.76-0.87), and Other racial/ethnic groups (aHR=0.75; 95% CI, 0.58-0.97) had a lower likelihood of timely buprenorphine than non-Hispanic white beneficiaries after adjusting for individual and county-level confounders. Timely buprenorphine receipt was positively associated with county-level buprenorphine prescriber availability (aHR=1.05; 95% CI, 1.04-1.07), percent non-Hispanic white residents (aHR=1.01; 95% CI, 1.00-1.01), and SDI (aHR=1.06; 95% CI, 1.01-1.10).ConclusionsRacial/ethnic disparities highlight the need to improve access to care for underserved groups. Implementing equity-focused quality and performance measures and developing interventions to increase office-based buprenorphine prescribing in predominantly minority race/ethnicity counties may reduce disparities in timely access to medication for OUD.
| S-EPMC10615876 | biostudies-literature
Project description:IntroductionExpanding access to medications for opioid use disorder is a cornerstone to addressing the opioid overdose epidemic. However, recent research suggests that the distribution of medications for opioid use disorder has been inequitable. This study analyzes the racial‒ethnic disparities in the receipt of medications for opioid use disorder among Medicaid patients diagnosed with opioid use disorder.MethodsMedicaid claims data from the Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System for the years 2017-2019 were used for the analysis. Logistic regression models estimated the odds of receiving buprenorphine and Vivitrol within 180 days after initial opioid use disorder diagnosis on the basis of race‒ethnicity. Analysis was conducted in 2022.ResultsNon-Hispanic Black people, non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaskan Native/Asian/Hawaiian/Pacific Islander people, and Hispanic people had 42%, 12%, and 22% lower odds of buprenorphine receipt and 47%, 12%, and 20% lower odds of Vivitrol receipt, respectively, than non-Hispanic White people, controlling for clinical and demographic patient variables.ConclusionsThis study suggests that there are racial‒ethnic disparities in the receipt of buprenorphine and Vivitrol among Medicaid patients diagnosed with opioid use disorder after adjusting for demographic, geographic, and clinical characteristics. The potential strategies to address these disparities include expanding the workforce of providers who can prescribe medications for opioid use disorder in low-income communities and communities of color and allocating resources to address the stigma in medications for opioid use disorder treatment.
| S-EPMC9588682 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundOlder adults have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the widespread availability and proved effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines, the issue of inequity in vaccine uptake in the United States is a potential concern among different populations. This study examined racial and ethnic and income disparities in COVID-19 vaccination rate among Medicare beneficiaries.MethodsData from the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) COVID-19 Winter 2021 Community Supplement were employed (n = 9606 Medicare beneficiaries, weighted N = 50,512,963). We fitted a logistic regression model to determine the association of vaccination status with beneficiary race and ethnicity and income, after controlled for a set of beneficiary characteristics.ResultsCompared with non-Hispanic White respondents, Hispanic respondents (OR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.54-0.96, p = 0.02) and Black respondents (OR = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.67-1.04, p = 0.11) were less likely to receive COVID-19 vaccine. In addition, the likelihood of COVID-19 vaccine uptake for beneficiaries who earn less than $25,000 per year was more than 50% lower than that for those whose annual income was $25,000 or more (OR = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.37-0.53, p < 0.0001).ConclusionsRacial and ethnic and income disparities exist in COVID-19 vaccination rate among Medicare beneficiaries nationally. Community-based strategies to boost vaccine uptake may target racial and ethnic minorities and socioeconomically disadvantaged groups to reduce such disparities.
| S-EPMC9348368 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ImportanceThe COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected racial and ethnic minority populations. However, racial and ethnic disparities in hospitalization outcomes during the pandemic-for both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 hospitalizations-are poorly understood, especially among older populations.ObjectiveTo assess racial and ethnic differences in hospitalization outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic among Medicare beneficiaries.Design setting and participantsIn the 100% traditional Medicare inpatient data, there were 31 771 054 unique beneficiaries in cross-section just before the pandemic (February 2020), among whom 26 225 623 were non-Hispanic White, 2 797 462 were Black, 692 994 were Hispanic, and 2 054 975 belonged to other racial and ethnic minority groups. There were 14 021 285 hospitalizations from January 2019 through February 2021, of which 11 353 581 were among non-Hispanic White beneficiaries, 1 656 856 among Black beneficiaries, 321 090 among Hispanic beneficiaries, and 689 758 among beneficiaries of other racial and ethnic minority groups. Sensitivity analyses tested expanded definitions of mortality and alternative model specifications.ExposuresRace and ethnicity in Medicare claims from the Social Security Administration.Main outcomes and measuresIn-hospital mortality and mortality inclusive of discharges to hospice, deaths during 30-day readmissions, and 30-day all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes included discharges to hospice and discharges to postacute care.ResultsThe decline in non-COVID-19 and emergence of COVID-19 hospitalizations were qualitatively similar among beneficiaries of different racial and ethnic minority groups through February 2021. In-hospital COVID-19 mortality was not significantly different among Black patients relative to White patients, but was 3.5 percentage points higher among Hispanic patients (95% CI, 2.9-4.1; P < .001) and other racial and ethnic minority patients relative to White counterparts (95% CI, 3.0-4.1; P < .001). For non-COVID-19 hospitalizations, in-hospital mortality among Black patients increased by 0.5 percentage points more than it increased among White patients (95% CI, 0.3-0.6; P < .001), a 17.5% differential increase relative to the prepandemic baseline. This gap was robust to expanded definitions of mortality. Hispanic patients had similar differential increases in expanded definitions of mortality and model specification. Disparities in discharges to hospice and postacute care were evident. In aggregate across COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 hospitalizations, mortality differentially increased among racial and ethnic minority populations during the pandemic.Conclusions and relevanceIn this cohort study, racial and ethnic disparities in mortality were evident among COVID-19 hospitalizations and widened among non-COVID-19 hospitalizations, motivating greater attention to health equity.
| S-EPMC8796953 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Background Racial/ethnic disparities in acute stroke care may impact stroke outcomes. We compared outcomes by race/ethnicity among elderly Medicare beneficiaries in hospitals participating in the FL-PR CReSD (Florida-Puerto Rico Collaboration to Reduce Stroke Disparities) registry with those in hospitals not participating in any quality improvement programs (non- QI ) in Florida and Puerto Rico (PR). Methods and Results The population included fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries age 65+ in Florida and PR , discharged with primary diagnosis of ischemic stroke ( International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification [ICD-9-CM], codes 433, 434, 436) in 2010-2013. We used mixed logistic models to assess racial/ethnic differences in outcomes (in-hospital, 30-day, and 1-year mortality, and 30-day readmission) for CR e SD and non- QI hospitals, adjusted for demographic and clinical characteristics. The study included 62 CR e SD hospitals (N=44 013, 84% white, 9% black, 4% Florida Hispanic, 1% PR Hispanic) and 113 non- QI hospitals (N=14 422, 78% white, 7% black, 5% Florida Hispanic, 8% PR Hispanic). For patients treated at CR e SD hospitals, there were no differences in risk-adjusted in-hospital mortality by race/ethnicity; blacks had lower 30-day mortality versus whites (odds ratio, 0.86; 95% confidence interval, 0.77-0.97), but higher 30-day readmission (hazard ratio, 1.09; 1.00-1.18) and 1-year mortality (odds ratio, 1.13; 1.04-1.23); Florida Hispanics had lower 30-day readmission (hazard ratio, 0.87; 0.78-0.98). PR Hispanic and black stroke patients treated at non- QI hospitals had higher risk-adjusted in-hospital, 30-day and 1-year mortality, but similar 30-day readmission versus whites treated in non- QI hospitals. Conclusions Disparities in outcomes were less common in CR e SD than non- QI hospitals, suggesting the benefits of quality improvement programs, particularly those focusing on racial/ethnic disparities.
| S-EPMC6405703 | biostudies-literature
Project description: Not available
| S-EPMC11364990 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ImportanceNonpharmacologic treatments are important for managing chronic pain among persons with opioid use disorder (OUD), for whom opioid and other pharmacologic therapies may be particularly harmful. Racial and ethnic minority individuals with chronic pain and OUD are vulnerable to suboptimal pain management due to systemic inequities and structural racism, highlighting the need to understand their receipt of guideline-recommended nonpharmacologic pain therapies, including physical therapy (PT) and chiropractic care.ObjectiveTo assess differences across racial and ethnic groups in receipt of PT or chiropractic care for chronic low back pain (CLBP) among persons with comorbid OUD.Design, setting, and participantsThis retrospective cohort study used a 20% random sample of national Medicare administrative data from January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2018, to identify fee-for-service community-dwelling beneficiaries with a new episode of CLBP and comorbid OUD. Data were analyzed from March 1, 2022, to July 30, 2023.ExposuresRace and ethnicity as a social construct, categorized as American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian or Pacific Islander, Black or African American, Hispanic, non-Hispanic White, and unknown or other.Main outcomes and measuresThe main outcomes were receipt of PT or chiropractic care within 3 months of CLBP diagnosis. The time (in days) to receiving these treatments was also assessed.ResultsAmong 69 362 Medicare beneficiaries analyzed, the median age was 60.0 years (IQR, 51.5-68.7 years) and 42 042 (60.6%) were female. A total of 745 beneficiaries (1.1%) were American Indian or Alaska Native; 444 (0.6%), Asian or Pacific Islander; 9822 (14.2%), Black or African American; 4124 (5.9%), Hispanic; 53 377 (77.0%); non-Hispanic White; and 850 (1.2%), other or unknown race. Of all beneficiaries, 7104 (10.2%) received any PT or chiropractic care 3 months after a new CLBP episode. After adjustment, Black or African American (adjusted odds ratio, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.39-0.55) and Hispanic (adjusted odds ratio, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.43-0.67) persons had lower odds of receiving chiropractic care within 3 months of CLBP diagnosis compared with non-Hispanic White persons. Median time to chiropractic care was longest for American Indian or Alaska Native (median, 8.5 days [IQR, 0-44.0 days]) and Black or African American (median, 7.0 days [IQR, 0-42.0 days]) persons and shortest for Asian or Pacific Islander persons (median, 0 days [IQR, 0-6.0 days]). No significant racial and ethnic differences were observed for PT.Conclusions and relevanceIn this retrospective cohort study of Medicare beneficiaries with comorbid CLBP and OUD, receipt of PT and chiropractic care was low overall and lower across most racial and ethnic minority groups compared with non-Hispanic White persons. The findings underscore the need to address inequities in guideline-concordant pain management, particularly among Black or African American and Hispanic persons with OUD.
| S-EPMC10498328 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Many older Americans do not receive needed care for mental health and substance use disorders (MHSUD), and there are substantial racial and ethnic disparities in receipt of this care across the lifespan. Medicare introduced cost-sharing parity for outpatient MHSUD care during the period 2010-14, reducing beneficiaries' out-of-pocket share of MHSUD spending from 50 percent to 20 percent. Among traditional Medicare beneficiaries ages sixty-five and older, we examined changes in MHSUD use and spending during the period 2008-18 for low-income beneficiaries with the cost-sharing reduction versus a control group of beneficiaries with free care throughout the study period among Black, Hispanic, Asian, and American Indian/Alaska Native versus White beneficiaries. Among older Medicare beneficiaries, overall use of MHSUD services increased during this period. For White beneficiaries, MHSUD cost-sharing parity was associated with an increased likelihood of having specialty MHSUD visits and medication use and a reduced likelihood of having unmonitored MHSUD medication use and MHSUD emergency department visits and hospitalizations. However, cost-sharing parity was associated with smaller or no gains in MHSUD services use for racial and ethnic minority beneficiaries compared with White beneficiaries, thus widening racial and ethnic disparities in MHSUD care.
| S-EPMC10910600 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Many neighborhoods with concentrated racial and ethnic minority older adult populations experience high neighborhood disadvantage. Yet, to date, no studies have analyzed how neighborhood disadvantage affects the relationship between race and hospitalization among older adults. To fill this gap, we examined if neighborhood disadvantage moderates the relationship between race and hospitalization among older adults in the United States. Medicare claims data from 2018 on 530 962 beneficiary hospitalizations were merged with neighborhood data, and regression models assessed if the Area Deprivation Index (ADI) moderated the association between race and hospitalization. At the highest ADI score, the odds ratio (OR) for hospitalization for Black compared with White beneficiaries was the lowest (OR: 0.96; 95% CI: 0.89-1.04). At the lowest ADI score, the OR for hospitalization for Black compared with White beneficiaries was the highest (OR: 1.19; 95% CI: 1.09-1.29). When Black and White beneficiaries reside in severely deprived areas, the disparity in their outcomes is narrower. However, when they reside in areas with more advantages, White beneficiaries experience better outcomes than Black beneficiaries. Our findings have implications for practice and policy to invest resources in communities to assure health equity.
| S-EPMC11803629 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundThis study quantifies survival time after dementia diagnosis and assesses mechanisms driving differences across race/ethnicity to inform care and financial planning.MethodsUsing 100% Medicare claims data, we identified 670,955 beneficiaries with incident dementia diagnosis in 2001 and followed them through 2018. We quantified racial/ethnic differences in post-diagnosis survival and for subgroups defined by sex, age at diagnosis, socio-economic status, and geography. Additionally, we investigated racial/ethnic time trends in 5-year mortality risk of 8,080,098 beneficiaries with incident dementia in years 2001-2013.FindingsHispanics and Asians diagnosed with dementia had 40% lower mortality risk and African Americans had 13% lower mortality risk than Whites. There was no difference between American Indians/Alaska Natives and Whites. Racial/ethnic differences were of similar size in sex, age at diagnosis, and urban/rural subgroups; however, the survival advantage between non-Whites and Whites was larger among low-income beneficiaries. State differences in mortality among Blacks were consistent with a Southern divide but not for Asians and Hispanics. The Asian-White and Hispanic-White mortality differences decreased 2001 to 2013.InterpretationRacial/ethnic survival differences after dementia diagnosis have implications for magnitude of financial impact of dementia on individuals and families. Quantifying survival differences and changes over time informs family, community, and societal level long-term care planning for a large and growing population of persons living with dementia. Variation in the size of racial/ethnic differences by economic status and geographic location provides opportunities for targeted strategies to reduce economic consequences and improve care and quality of life after dementia diagnosis.
| S-EPMC9264371 | biostudies-literature