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2009 National Healthcare Quality & Disparities Reports

Table 12_4_6.1
Adults age 65 and over who received potentially inappropriate prescription medicationsa in the calendar year, United States, 2002 and 2006
    2006 2002
    Received 1 of 33 inappropriate drugs Received 1 of 11 drugs that should be avoided Received 1 of 33 inappropriate drugs Received 1 of 11 drugs that should be avoided
Population group Percent SE Percent SE Percent SE Percent SE
Total   15.7 0.7 2.4 0.3 18.4 0.7 3.1 0.3
Age 65–69 15.3 1.3 3.3 0.7 15.6 1.2 2.6 0.5
70–74 15.2 1.3 2.3 0.6 19.3 1.4 3.2 0.6
75–79 15.0 1.5 DSU DSU 18.6 1.4 4.1 0.9
80–84 17.8 1.9 DSU DSU 21.4 2.2 DSU DSU
85 and over 16.1 2.0 DSU DSU 18.6 2.1 DSU DSU
Gender Male 12.3 1.0 2.0 0.4 14.2 0.9 2.0 0.4
Female 18.3 0.9 2.6 0.4 21.4 1.0 3.9 0.5
Race White, single race 15.7 0.7 2.5 0.3 18.7 0.7 3.1 0.4
Black, single race 17.9 1.7 2.1 0.6 18.1 2.0 DSU DSU
Asian, single race DSU DSU DSU DSU DSU DSU DSU DSU
NHOPI, single race DSU DSU DSU DSU DSU DSU DSU DSU
AI/AN, single race DSU DSU DSU DSU DSU DSU DSU DSU
Multiple races DSU DSU DSU DSU DSU DSU DSU DSU
Ethnicity Non-Hispanic, all races 15.9 0.7 2.3 0.3 18.4 0.7 3.1 0.3
Non-Hispanic, White 15.9 0.8 2.4 0.3 18.8 0.8 3.1 0.4
Non-Hispanic, Black 18.0 1.7 2.1 0.6 18.3 2.0 DSU DSU
Hispanic 13.5 2.3 DSU DSU 17.0 2.3 DSU DSU
Family incomeb Negative/poor 16.9 1.6 DSU DSU 21.7 1.9 3.6 0.8
Near poor/low 16.0 1.2 2.5 0.5 21.3 1.5 4.4 0.8
Middle 16.2 1.2 2.8 0.6 17.9 1.2 2.8 0.5
High 14.8 1.4 2.3 0.5 15.3 1.2 2.0 0.4
Educationc Less than high school 17.5 1.2 2.5 0.5 20.4 1.3 3.8 0.6
High school graduate 15.5 1.1 2.1 0.5 18.7 1.2 3.0 0.6
At least some college 14.8 1.1 2.5 0.5 16.0 1.1 2.4 0.5
Health insurance Medicare only 16.4 1.3 1.9 0.5 16.9 1.3 2.5 0.6
Medicare and private 15.4 0.9 2.5 0.4 17.9 0.8 3.0 0.4
Medicare and other public 17.2 1.8 2.9 0.8 26.1 2.1 5.2 1.0
Residence locationd Metropolitan 14.9 0.8 2.2 0.3 17.9 0.8 3.0 0.4
  Large central metro 13.4 1.3 1.6 0.4 16.6 1.4 3.2 0.6
  Large fringe metro 15.3 1.5 3.0 0.6 18.8 1.6 2.9 0.8
  Medium metro 16.9 1.3 2.7 0.8 18.2 1.6 2.7 0.6
  Small metro 12.8 2.8 DSU DSU 18.9 2.6 DSU DSU
Nonmetropolitan 18.9 1.7 3.1 0.7 20.1 1.4 3.3 0.6
  Micropolitan 17.9 1.9 3.0 0.7 21.9 1.8 3.8 0.7
  Noncore 20.7 2.7 DSU DSU 16.6 1.8 2.3 0.6
Language spoken most often at home English 16.2 0.7 2.5 0.3 19.0 0.7 3.1 0.3
Other 9.9 1.6 DSU DSU 16.0 1.9 DSU DSU
Perceived health status Excellent/very good/good 13.5 0.7 1.9 0.3 15.9 0.8 2.6 0.4
Fair/poor 22.9 1.6 3.7 0.8 25.7 1.5 4.2 0.6
Activity limitationsd Basic activities 22.1 1.3 3.3 0.6 28.1 1.2 4.4 0.6
Complex activities 25.1 2.3 DSU DSU 32.1 2.1 5.4 1.1
Neither basic nor complex activities 11.6 0.8 1.9 0.3 13.0 0.7 2.4 0.4

a Prescription medications received includes all prescribed medications initially purchased or otherwise obtained during calendar year, as well as any refills.

b Negative/poor refers to household incomes below the Federal poverty line; near poor/low, the poverty line to just below 200 percent of the poverty line; middle, 200 percent to just below 400 percent of the poverty line; and high, 400 percent of the poverty line and over.

c Less than high school refers to fewer than 12 years of education; high school graduate, 12 years of education; and at least some college, more than 12 years of education.

d For more information, see the MEPS entry in Appendix A, Data Sources.

DSU - Data do not meet the criteria for statistical reliability, data quality, or confidentiality.

Key: AI/AN: American Indian or Alaska Native; NHOPI: Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; SE: standard error.

Source: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey.

 

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