Statin prescribing in Australia: socioeconomic and sex differences - A cross-sectional study

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dc.contributor.authorStocks, N.
dc.contributor.authorRyan, P.
dc.contributor.authorMcElroy, H.
dc.contributor.authorAllan, J.
dc.date.issued2004
dc.descriptionThe document attached has been archived with permission from the editor of the Medical Journal of Australia. An external link to the publisher’s copy is included.
dc.description.abstractOBJECTIVE: To assess if there are any differences in statin prescribing across Australia by socioeconomic status or sex and to relate prescribing rates to coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality rates. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study using data on statin prescribing by age, sex and patient postcode for the period May to December 2002. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: The Australian population, stratified by sex and quintile of Index of Relative Socio-Economic Disadvantage (IRSD). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Age-standardised rates of statin scripts per 1000 population per month for each sex and IRSD quintile. RESULTS: 9.1 million prescriptions for statins were supplied between May and December 2002, for a total cost of $570 million. The age-standardised rates for statin prescribing in women varied from 56.9 (95% CI, 56.6–57.2) scripts per 1000 population per month in the most disadvantaged socioeconomic quintile through 53.4 (95% CI, 53.0–53.7), 50.3 (95% CI, 50.0–50.6), 48.4 (95% CI, 48.1–48.7) to 46.3 (95% CI, 46.0–46.6) in the least disadvantaged quintile. For men the figures were 52.6 (95% CI, 52.3–52.9), 50.9 (95% CI, 50.6–51.2), 48.8 (95% CI, 48.6–49.1), 47.7 (95% CI, 47.4–47.9), and 51.9 (95% CI, 51.6–52.2). There was a significant linear association between statin prescribing and CHD mortality by quintile of socioeconomic disadvantage in women (weighted least squares slope, 0.380; 95% CI, 0.366 to 0.395; P < 0.0001), but not in men (slope, −0.002; 95% CI, −0.010 to 0.006; P = 0.65). Conclusions: Our results suggest that in men there is either overprescribing of statins in the highest socioeconomic quintile or underprescribing in the lowest. Furthermore, contrary to expectation, women — relative to men — are prescribed statins at higher rates at lower levels of risk (using CHD deaths as a proxy MJA 2004; 180: 229–231 measure of risk).
dc.description.statementofresponsibilityNigel P Stocks, Philip Ryan, Heather McElroy and James Allan
dc.identifier.citationMedical Journal of Australia, 2004; 180(5):229-231
dc.identifier.doi10.5694/j.1326-5377.2004.tb05891.x
dc.identifier.issn0025-729X
dc.identifier.issn1326-5377
dc.identifier.orcidStocks, N. [0000-0002-9018-0361]
dc.identifier.orcidMcElroy, H. [0000-0003-3650-1141]
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2440/4213
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherAustralasian Med Publ Co Ltd
dc.source.urihttp://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/180_05_010304/sto10334_fm.html
dc.subjectHumans
dc.subjectCoronary Disease
dc.subjectHydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors
dc.subjectHealth Care Surveys
dc.subjectLinear Models
dc.subjectLeast-Squares Analysis
dc.subjectCross-Sectional Studies
dc.subjectFamily Practice
dc.subjectSex Factors
dc.subjectSex Distribution
dc.subjectSocioeconomic Factors
dc.subjectAdult
dc.subjectAged
dc.subjectMiddle Aged
dc.subjectVulnerable Populations
dc.subjectDrug Utilization
dc.subjectHealth Services Accessibility
dc.subjectAustralia
dc.subjectFemale
dc.subjectMale
dc.subjectPractice Patterns, Physicians'
dc.titleStatin prescribing in Australia: socioeconomic and sex differences - A cross-sectional study
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.publication-statusPublished

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