Abstract

From the preface:

Understanding Medicaid pharmaceutical utilization in Kentucky is important: over $6.6 billion was expended in the state from 2000 to 2010 on outpatient medication; it has the potential to fundamentally transform the health and well‐being individuals, and by extension wider communities; and there is a continuing trend in the nonmedical use (and abuse) of prescription drugs, exacting a heavy toll on individuals, their families, and the wider community. The Kentucky Medicaid Pharmaceutical Utilization Guide, 2000‐2010 provides information on the 50 most utilized pharmaceuticals in Kentucky with respect to prescriptions, costs, and total grams—and presents this information for children (age 18 and younger) and adults (19 and older). These data are organized at the state, regional, and county levels—which should enable leaders and citizens to compare pharmaceutical utilization between different communities. These comparisons should provoke important public policy and public health questions, such as what accounts for the vastly different pharmaceutical utilization patterns across the state over‐ all, between genders, and among races with respect to, for example, pain medication, ADHD drugs, or antipsychotic medication. Moreover, this report can facilitate the strategic allocation of resources dedicated to improving health literacy—among patients, health care providers, and the community at large.

This work is a collaborative effort between the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, the University of Kentucky College of Communication and Information, the Center for Business and Economic Research (CBER) in the Gatton College of Business and Economics, and the College of Pharmacy’s Institute for Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy (IPOP).

Document Type

Report

Publication Date

8-2012

Notes/Citation Information

Research supported by The Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky.

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