Preventive Medication Use among Adults Aged 40 and over in the United States: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2015–2018

Abstract

Objectives: 1. To estimate the prevalence of preventive medication use among adults in the United States (US); 2. To identify the socioeconomic, demographic and clinical factors associated with preventive prescription medication use; 3. To identify the diagnoses associated with preventive prescription medication use. Methods: Data from two cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2015–2016 and 2017–2018, are analyzed. Results: Among US adults aged 40 years or older (N = 7634), 31% use a preventive medication. Specifically, 27% of them use aspirin and 9% use other preventive prescription medications. Among those who use other preventive prescription medications, 27% report using one of the cardiovascular agents and 24% reported using anticoagulants and/or antiplatelet agents. High percentages of preventive prescription medication users report using medications to prevent heart attacks/myocardial infarctions (25%) or blood clots (23%). Uninsured adults are less likely to use preventive medications (OR: 0.656; p-value = 0.009) as compared with their counterparts with private insurance. On the other hand, older adults and those with diabetes, heart disease, arthritis and hypertension are more likely to use preventive medications. Furthermore, past smokers and adults who never smoked are more likely to use preventive medications as compared with those who currently smoke. Conclusion: Policies are needed to increase access to preventive care for uninsured adults. Further research needs to review the benefits and harms of the chronic use of preventive medication among older adults in the US.