STUDY OBJECTIVES: To describe patterns of outpatient antibacterial use among California Medicaid (Medi-Cal) fee-for-service system beneficiaries, and to investigate the influence of demographic factors-age, race/ethnicity, state county, and population density-on those patterns. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of administrative claims data. DATA SOURCE: Medi-Cal fee-for-service system claims database. PATIENTS: All outpatient Medi-Cal fee-for-service system beneficiaries enrolled between 2006 and 2011 who had at least one systemic antibacterial claim. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Rates of antibacterial prescribing and the proportion of broad-spectrum antibacterial use were measured over the study period and among age, racial/ethnic, and geographic (county) groups. Of the 10,018,066 systemic antibacterial claims selected for analysis, antibacterial prescribing rates decreased from 542 claims/1000 beneficiaries in 2006 to 461 claims/1000 beneficiaries in 2011 (r = -0.971, p=0.0012; τ-b = -1.00, p=0.009). Among age groups, children had the highest rate of use (605 claims/1000 beneficiaries, χ(2) (2) = 320,000, p<0.001); among racial/ethnic groups, Alaskan Natives and Native Americans had the highest rate of use (1086/1000 beneficiaries, χ(2) (5) = 197,000, p<0.001). Broad-spectrum antibacterial prescribing increased from 28.1% (95% confidence interval [CI] 28.1-28.2%) to 32.7% (95% CI 32.6-32.8%) over the study period. Senior age groups and whites received the highest proportions of broad-spectrum agents (53.4% [95% CI 52.5-54.3%] and 36.6% [95% CI 36.6-36.7%], respectively). Population density was inversely related to both overall antibacterial use (ρ = -0.432, p=0.0018) and broad-spectrum antibacterial prescribing (ρ = -0.359, p<0.001). The rate of prescribing decreased over the study period for all antibacterial classes with the exception of macrolides and sulfonamides. Amoxicillin was the most frequently prescribed agent. CONCLUSION: Overall and broad-spectrum antibacterial use in the Medi-Cal fee-for-service program are less than that observed nationally. Significant variations in prescribing exist between age and racial/ethnic groups, and heavily populated areas are associated with both less antibacterial use and less broad-spectrum antibacterial prescribing. Studies are needed to determine the reasons for the observed differences in antibacterial use among demographic groups.
STUDY OBJECTIVES: To describe patterns of outpatient antibacterial use among California Medicaid (Medi-Cal) fee-for-service system beneficiaries, and to investigate the influence of demographic factors-age, race/ethnicity, state county, and population density-on those patterns. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of administrative claims data. DATA SOURCE: Medi-Cal fee-for-service system claims database. PATIENTS: All outpatient Medi-Cal fee-for-service system beneficiaries enrolled between 2006 and 2011 who had at least one systemic antibacterial claim. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Rates of antibacterial prescribing and the proportion of broad-spectrum antibacterial use were measured over the study period and among age, racial/ethnic, and geographic (county) groups. Of the 10,018,066 systemic antibacterial claims selected for analysis, antibacterial prescribing rates decreased from 542 claims/1000 beneficiaries in 2006 to 461 claims/1000 beneficiaries in 2011 (r = -0.971, p=0.0012; τ-b = -1.00, p=0.009). Among age groups, children had the highest rate of use (605 claims/1000 beneficiaries, χ(2) (2) = 320,000, p<0.001); among racial/ethnic groups, Alaskan Natives and Native Americans had the highest rate of use (1086/1000 beneficiaries, χ(2) (5) = 197,000, p<0.001). Broad-spectrum antibacterial prescribing increased from 28.1% (95% confidence interval [CI] 28.1-28.2%) to 32.7% (95% CI 32.6-32.8%) over the study period. Senior age groups and whites received the highest proportions of broad-spectrum agents (53.4% [95% CI 52.5-54.3%] and 36.6% [95% CI 36.6-36.7%], respectively). Population density was inversely related to both overall antibacterial use (ρ = -0.432, p=0.0018) and broad-spectrum antibacterial prescribing (ρ = -0.359, p<0.001). The rate of prescribing decreased over the study period for all antibacterial classes with the exception of macrolides and sulfonamides. Amoxicillin was the most frequently prescribed agent. CONCLUSION: Overall and broad-spectrum antibacterial use in the Medi-Cal fee-for-service program are less than that observed nationally. Significant variations in prescribing exist between age and racial/ethnic groups, and heavily populated areas are associated with both less antibacterial use and less broad-spectrum antibacterial prescribing. Studies are needed to determine the reasons for the observed differences in antibacterial use among demographic groups.
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