Effects of Adherence to Statin Therapy on Health Care Outcomes and Utilizations in Taiwan: A Population-Based Study

AIM Good medication adherence may decrease the probability of worse outcomes and reduce unnecessary medical care costs. This study aims to evaluate medication adherence for people on statin therapy. METHODS National health insurance databases were analyzed from January 1, 2001, to December 31, 2007. Study samples were patients of 45 years and older adults who took statin for the first time during the study period. Medication possession ratio (MPR) was measured until the patients had hospitalization or reached the three-year follow-up period. We identified a good (MPR ≥ 80%) and a poor (MPR < 80%) medication adherence group to conduct statistical analyses. RESULTS 40.8% of patients were of good medication adherence and 59.2% were of poor medication adherence. Multivariate logistic regression model indicated that the MPR ≥ 80% group had significantly less probability of hospitalization (P < 0.001). Being men, increasing age, higher Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) scores, seeking care mostly in the medical center or teaching hospitals, and living in the suburban or rural areas had higher probability of hospitalization (P < 0.05 or P < 0.001). The MPR ≥ 80% group spent less hospitalization expenditures (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION Effective interventions may be applied to the poor medication adherence group in order to improve their health care outcomes.