Table 3 Study population: asthma characteristics
Unrestricted Coverage | Restricted Coverage | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Characteristic | Total | Lower-cost ICS User in 2003 | Higher-cost ICS User in 2003 | Lower-cost ICS User in 2003 | Higher-cost ICS User in 2003 |
No. subjects | 1,802 | 293 | 175 | 847 | 487 |
High-risk asthma flag in 2002* | 12.1% | 10.9% | 17.1% | 9.0% | 16.4% |
ED visit or hospitalization for asthma in 2002 | 6.7% | 9.2% | 5.1% | 5.3% | 8.2% |
Oral steroid Rx dispensed in 2002 | 31.4% | 27.7% | 32.6% | 27.5% | 39.8% |
Low ICS dose level in 2002 | 31.4% | 55.3% | 10.9% | 53.5% | 14.0% |
Medium ICS dose level in 2002 | 36.2% | 36.5% | 37.1% | 36.6% | 35.1% |
High ICS dose level in 2002 | 24.8% | 8.2% | 52.0% | 9.9% | 50.9% |
Mean (SD) | Mean (SD) | Mean (SD) | Mean (SD) | Mean (SD) | |
No. of rescue medication canisters dispensed in 2002 | 3.73 (4.79) | 3.57 (4.80) | 4.06 (5.10) | 3.44 (4.12) | 4.18 (5.64) |
ICS Days-of-supply in 2003** | 187.5 (103.3) | 200.0 (107.2) | 204.4 (104.3) | 187.8 (102.7) | 173.4 (99.9) |
ICS Days-of-supply in 2004** | 161.3 (120.3) | 184.7 (124.7) | 184.4 (119.0) | 162.0 (120.9) | 137.5 (112.8) |