Abstract
Depression and anxiety are factors associated with poor adherence to medications that lead to increased healthcare costs. The authors hypothesize that these conditions will moderate the association between adherence and healthcare costs. The aim was to examine the healthcare costs associated with adherence to antihypertensive agents in the elderly with and without depression and anxiety. The sample included participants with hypertension and used hypertensive agents (N=926). Medication possession ratio was used to calculate medication adherence. Mean total healthcare costs included costs for inpatient stays, emergency department visits, outpatient visits, physician fees, and outpatient medications. Mental disorders were assessed using a questionnaire based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition criteria. The total healthcare costs were significantly greater for nonadherent participants with depression/anxiety than for adherent participants without depression/anxiety (Δ$1841, P<.0001). This study suggests that treating mental disorders in elderly patients with hypertension will decrease total healthcare costs.
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