Baseline Characteristics of the Study Population
| Characteristic | By Number of Chronic Conditions | Total Population (N = 25,854) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 to 2 (n = 7,992) | 3 or 4 (n = 8,349) | 5 to 18 (n = 9,513) | ||
| Male, % | 45.5 | 42.8 | 38.3 | 42.0 |
| Age group,a % | ||||
| 65-69 years | 45.5 | 33.7 | 22.5 | 33.2 |
| 70-74 years | 24.2 | 24.7 | 21.9 | 23.5 |
| 75-79 years | 13.6 | 17.0 | 20.9 | 17.4 |
| 80-84 years | 8.1 | 12.3 | 17.3 | 12.8 |
| ≥85 years | 8.6 | 12.2 | 17.4 | 13.0 |
| Prescriptions over 6 years,b % | ||||
| 0-4 medications | 39.8 | 13.6 | 4.1 | 18.2 |
| 5-9 medications | 37.5 | 35.0 | 17.8 | 29.4 |
| 10-14 medications | 15.8 | 29.1 | 28.3 | 24.7 |
| ≥15 medications | 6.9 | 22.3 | 49.8 | 27.7 |
| Chronic conditions, % | ||||
| Oncologic disease | 16.4 | 33.1 | 47.4 | 33.2 |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.1 | 17.6 | 36.2 | 21.2 |
| Psychiatric disease | 11.4 | 14.4 | 18.1 | 14.8 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 7.6 | 22.1 | 36.6 | 23.0 |
| Usual provider of care, No. (%)c | ||||
| Low tertile | 2,699 (33.8) | 2,871 (34.4) | 3,253 (34.2) | 8,823 (34.1) |
| Intermediate tertile | 2,598 (32.5) | 2,732 (32.7) | 3,289 (34.6) | 8,619 (33.3) |
| High tertile | 2,695 (33.7) | 2,746 (32.9) | 2,971 (31.2) | 8,412 (32.5) |
| Bice-Boxerman Index, No. (%)d | ||||
| Low tertile | 2,766 (34.6) | 2,783 (33.3) | 3,069 (32.3) | 8,618 (33.3) |
| Intermediate tertile | 2,479 (31.0) | 2,763 (33.1) | 3,376 (35.5) | 8,618 (33.3) |
| High tertile | 2,747 (34.4) | 2,803 (33.6) | 3,068 (32.3) | 8,618 (33.3) |
| Herfindahl Index, No. (%)e | ||||
| Low tertile | 2,458 (30.8) | 2,804 (33.6) | 3,356 (35.3) | 8,618 (33.3) |
| Intermediate tertile | 2,694 (33.7) | 2,733 (32.7) | 3,188 (33.5) | 8,615 (33.3) |
| High tertile | 2,840 (35.5) | 2,812 (33.7) | 2,969 (31.2) | 8,621 (33.3) |
| Enlistment,f mean (SD), y | 16.8 (8.7) | 17.0 (8.8) | 16.8 (8.9) | 16.9 (8.8) |
| Contacts in 6 years, mean (SD) | ||||
| Total | 28.6 (23.0) | 43.5 (31.6) | 63.8 (49.7) | 46.4 (40.1) |
| With family physician | 16.8 (14.6) | 24.5 (19.7) | 35.4 (29.7) | 26.1 (24.0) |
| PIMs, mean (SD) | 1.0 (1.3) | 1.8 (1.7) | 2.9 (2.3) | 2.0 (2.0) |
| PPOs, mean (SD) | 1.1 (1.3) | 2.0 (1.8) | 3.2 (2.4) | 2.2 (2.1) |
PIM = potentially inappropriate medication; PPO = potential prescribing omission; START = Screening Tool to Alert doctors to Right Treatment; STOPP = Screening Tool of Older Person’s Prescriptions.
↵a On January 1, 2013.
↵b Based on unique Anatomic Therapeutic Chemical codes from STOPP and START criteria.
↵c Low, 0.12-0.59; intermediate, 0.60-0.79; high, 0.80-1.00.
↵d Low, 0.00-0.41; intermediate, 0.42-0.64; high, 0.65-1.00.
↵e Low, 0.09-0.46; intermediate, 0.47-0.66; high, 0.67-1.00.
↵f On December 31, 2018. Follow-up usually spanned 6 years (2013-2018) unless the patient was partially enlisted elsewhere during this period.