Sex Differences In Adherence Research Articles

Sex differences in adherence to treatment in patients with myocardial infarction

The aim of the study is to identify factors affecting adherence to treatment in men and women with myocardial infarction (MI).Material and methods. The study included 150 patients diagnosed with MI (47 women and 103 men). Treatment readiness was assessed according to the S.V. Davydov method and with the calculation of the integral indicator of adherence to treatment (IIAT).Results. During 6-month follow-up, men and women with MI were comparable in mortality rates, however, men were more frequently hospitalized for cardiovascular complications. Adherence to treatment was high in both genders. Treatment readiness at the time of MI indicated higher satisfaction with the results of treatment in women, and higher willingness to pay for treatment, higher confidence in the treatment strategy and a higher IIAT in men. Both women and men with MI reported a comparable number of outpatient visits within 6 months (not exceeding 56 %). Only small number of patients reached the target heart rate (HR) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) content within 6 months. Patients of both genders who reached and not reached the target LDL level and HR did not differ in mortality rates, hospitalizations and adherence to treatment within 6 months. At the same time, patients who reached the target HR, regardless of gender, were more likely to make outpatient postMI visits compared with those who did not reach the targets; men with MI who did not achieve the target HR were less likely to visit a doctor, whereas women with MI who achieved the target HR and LDL were more likely to have a high IIAT during in-patient care and were more willing to pay for further treatment (an exclusive characteristic of women who reached target HR). Moreover, we have identified predictors of IIAT and achievement of HR and LDL in women and men with MI.Conclusions. Patients with MI present with sex-specific factors that are affecting treatment adherence, which should be accounted for in the development of measures for secondary prevention of disease.

Sex differences and predictors of completion of a 6-month exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation program in 1,536 people following stroke

ObjectiveTo retrospectively examine sex-differences and predictors of completion in consecutively-referred patients to a 6-month exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation program (CRP) from 2006 to 2017. Materials/methodsPeople with hemiplegic gait participated in stroke-adapted-CRP; otherwise, traditional-CRP. Reasons for non-completion were ascertained by interview. Regression-analyses were conducted to determine non-completion in all patients and women and men separately. ResultsThere were 1536 patients (30.3% women), mean age 64.5 ± 12.5 with 23% initiating the stroke-adapted-CRP. Overall, 75.1% completed the CRP (87.3% stroke-adapted-CRP vs 71.5% traditional-CRP; p < .001). There was no difference in completion between women and men (74.5% vs 75.4%; p=0.7), or in attendance to pre-scheduled sessions (p=0.6) or reasons for non-completion (p > .05, all). The only sex difference in completion by age (decade) occurred in those <41 years (59% women vs 85% men; p=.02). Baseline predictors of non-completion among all patients included not being enrolled in the stroke-adapted-CRP, lower V̇O2peak, smoking, diabetes (prescribed insulin) and depression but not sex (p=.5) or age (p=.15). Unique predictors in women vs men were younger age, lower V̇O2peak, smoking, diabetes (prescribed insulin), depression, and cancer diagnoses. Unique to men was having >1 stroke and diabetes (any anti-diabetes medication). The strongest predictor of non-completion among all models was not being enrolled in stroke-adapted-CRP. ConclusionsWhile there were no sex-differences in adherence to the CRP, women and men have mostly unique predictors of non-completion. Younger women are at greatest risk for non-completion. Practitioners should provide sex-specific, tailored strategies for enhancing completion with a focus on younger women and offering a stroke-adapted-CRP with close attention to those with diabetes.

Differences in medication adherence by sex and organ type among adolescent and young adult solid organ transplant recipients.

Identification of differences in medication adherence by sex or organ type may help in planning interventions to optimize outcomes. We compared immunosuppressive medication adherence between males and females, and between kidney, liver and heart transplant recipients. This multicenter study of prevalent kidney, liver and heart transplant recipients 14-25 years assessed adherence 3 times (0, 3, 6 months post-enrollment) with the BAASIS self-report tool. At each visit, participants were classified as adherent if they missed no doses in the prior 4 weeks and non-adherent otherwise. Adherence was also assessed using the coefficient of variation (CV) of tacrolimus trough levels; CV < 30% was classified as adherent. We used multivariable mixed effects logistic regression models adjusted for potential confounders to compare adherence by sex and by organ. Across all visits, males (n=150, median age 20.4 years, IQR 17.2-23.3) had lower odds of self-reported adherence than females (n=120, median age 19.8 years, IQR 17.1-22.7) (OR 0.41, 95% CI 0.21-0.80) but higher odds of adherence by tacrolimus CV (OR 2.50, 95% CI 1.30-4.82). No significant differences in adherence (by self-report or tacrolimus CV) were noted between the 184 kidney, 58 liver, and 28 heart recipients. Females show better self-reported adherence than males but greater variability in tacrolimus levels. Social desirability bias, more common in females than males, may contribute to better self-reported adherence among females. Higher tacrolimus variability among females may reflect biologic differences in tacrolimus metabolism between males and females rather than sex differences in adherence. There were no significant differences in adherence by organ type.

Disparities in adherence to diabetes screening guidelines among males and females in a universal care setting: A population-based study of 1,389,697 adults.

ObjectivesNational guidelines recommend that all adults over the age of 40 years undergo screening for diabetes at least once every 3-years. We examined the association between sex and adherence to diabetes screening after accounting for age, urban/rural residence and material deprivation. We also examined the subsequent incidence of prediabetes and diabetes in adherent and non-adherent individuals. ApproachOur study is based on a retrospective population-level inception cohort of adults aged 40 - 79 years without pre-existing diabetes or cardiovascular disease on April 1, 2013. Data on hospitalizations, emergency department visits, ambulatory clinic visits, physician billing claims, pharmaceutical claims, centralized laboratory data, vital statistics death registry, and census data at the neighbourhood level were linked at the patient level for years 2013 to 2020. Adherence during a 3-year screening period (2013 – 2016) and prediabetes and diabetes during a 4-year follow-up period were examined. Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine the adjusted association between sex and adherence. ResultsAmong 1,389,697 individuals (49.2% male, 50.8% female) adherence rates were 69.9% in males and 79.8% in females. Sex-differences in adherence were largest in younger individuals (58.0% and 72.6% and in males and females aged 40-44 years, respectively) and consistent across rural/urban residence and material deprivation categories. Females were more adherent (adjusted odds ratio 1.93; 95% confidence interval 1.90 to 1.97) than males. Among adherent males and females, 65.3% and 64.8% had at least one Haemoglobin A1C, respectively during the screening period. During the follow-up period, prediabetes and diabetes rates among males who were adherent were 25.9% and 5.2%, compared to 8.8% and 2.1% among non-adherent males; and 20.2% and 2.9% among adherent and 7.3% and 1.3% among non-adherent females. ConclusionsDespite lower rates of adherence to screening, males have higher rates of prediabetes and diabetes compared to females. Our study highlights the need to develop education campaigns and targeted interventions at the local and population level to raise awareness and improve diabetes screening rates in young people, especially males.

Disparities in adherence to diabetes screening guidelines among males and females in a universal care setting: A population-based study of 1,380,697 adults

National guidelines recommend that all adults over the age of 40 years undergo screening for diabetes at least once every 3-years. We examined the adherence to these guidelines among males and females after accounting for age, urban/rural residence, and material deprivation. We also examined the incidence of prediabetes and diabetes in adherent and non-adherent individuals. Our study is based on a retrospective population-level inception cohort of adults aged 40-79 years without pre-existing diabetes or cardiovascular disease on April 1, 2013. Adherence during a 3-year screening period (2013-2016) and prediabetes and diabetes during a 4-year follow-up period were examined. Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine the adjusted association between sex and adherence. Among 1,380,697 individuals (49·2% male, 50·8% female) adherence rates were 69·9% in males and 79·8% in females. Sex-differences in adherence were largest in younger individuals (58·0% and 72·6% and in males and females aged 40-44 years, respectively) and consistent across rural/urban residence and material deprivation. Females were more adherent (adjusted odds ratio 1·92; 95% confidence interval 1·89 to 1·95) than males. Prediabetes and diabetes rates among individuals who adhered to screening guidelines were 15·7% and 2·6% among males and 13·4% and 1·5% among females. During the follow-up period, an additional 3·2% and 1·9% of adherent males and females had diabetes. Incidence rates of prediabetes and diabetes during the follow-up period among individuals who did not adhere to screening guidelines were 8·8% and 2·1% among males and 7·3% and 1·3% among females. Adherence to diabetes screening guidelines is sub-optimal, especially among young males. Despite lower rates of adherence to screening, males have higher rates of prediabetes and diabetes compared to females. There is a need for education campaigns to improve diabetes screening rates in young adults, especially males. This study was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Sex and Gender Science Chair (Recipient: Kaul).

Sex Differences in Spironolactone and the Active Metabolite Canrenone Concentrations and Adherence.

We aim to investigate sex differences in blood concentrations of spironolactone and the active metabolite canrenone in resistant hypertension patients. Furthermore, sex differences in adherence for spironolactone and other antihypertensive drugs (AHDs) were studied. The patients in this post hoc study had all participated in a single-blind randomized controlled trial called RHYME-RCT (Dutch Trial Register, NL6736). Concentrations in blood of several AHDs were assessed in RHYME-RCT to investigate adherence to treatment. This allowed for a comparison of drug exposure to spironolactone and canrenone between males and females. In linear regression models, no statistically significant sex differences (N = 35) in spironolactone (B =−10.23, SE = 7.92, p = 0.206) or canrenone (B = 1.24, SE = 10.96, p = 0.911) concentrations after adjustment for dose and time between sampling and intake were found. Furthermore, no statistically significant differences in non-adherence to spironolactone were found between sexes (N = 54, male 15% vs. female 38%, p = 0.100), but non-adherence to spironolactone was associated with non-adherence to other AHDs (p ≤ 0.001). Spironolactone and canrenone concentrations were not different between males and females with resistant hypertension. Although not statistically significant, females were twice as likely to be non-adherent to spironolactone compared to males, and thereby also more likely to be non-adherent to other AHDs.

Sex differences in the adherence of antihypertensive drugs: a systematic review with meta-analyses

ObjectivesPoor worldwide rate of blood pressure control is largely due to poor adherence to antihypertensive (AHT) drug treatment. The question of whether sex affects adherence has long been debated but...

Sex differences in macronutrient intake and adherence to dietary recommendations: findings from the UK Biobank

ObjectivesTo characterise sex differences in macronutrient intakes and adherence to dietary recommendations in the UK Biobank population.DesignCross-sectional population-based study.SettingUK Biobank Resource.Participants210 106 (52.5% women) individuals with data on dietary behaviour.Main...

Sex differences in adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy: A meta-analysis

Observational studies have found that women tend to have lower adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) than men do, though no meta-analysis has yet investigated this trend. The aims of the current meta-analysis are to determine if and to what degree the percentage of men versus women maintaining ≥90% adherence to prescribed HAART differs, and if the external variables moderating adherence differs by gender. Eight electronic databases were searched to locate all relevant studies available by May 2011. Fifty-six observational studies were eligible for inclusion in the meta-analysis. A random effect model was assumed for the global percentage estimation and to explain the heterogeneity. Across these studies, the difference between men and women in the proportion of individuals with ≥90% adherence to HAART was marginally significant (p<0.1; 67% and 62%, respectively). A greater proportion of men maintaining ≥90% adherence to HAART was more likely in studies with higher proportions of men who have sex with men (MSM), lower proportions of male alcohol users or lower proportions of men in a methadone program. In women, higher rates of adherence were found in studies conducted in Africa, Asia, and South America, when the sample included more widows or when the sample had a lower basal CD4 count. That both the percentage of adherent individuals and the variables associated with such adherence differ between men and women are suggestive of the need for improving gender-tailored interventions for adherence to HAART.

Antihypertensive Drug Use and Adherence After Stroke

The majority of stroke fatalities occur in elderly women. We compared prescribing and adherence to antihypertensive therapies shown to reduce fatal and nonfatal stroke recurrence among elderly women and men with acute stroke. Using the Registry of the Canadian Stroke Network, we identified all patients >or=66 years of age discharged home from 11 tertiary care centers with acute stroke (July 1, 2003, through March 31, 2006) in Ontario, Canada. Stroke cases were linked to the Ontario Drug Benefits Database and evaluated for prescription claims for thiazide diuretic, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, beta blocker, angiotensin receptor blocker, or calcium channel blocker within 1 year of discharge from hospital. One-year adherence was assessed using the proportion of days covered with suboptimal adherence defined as a proportion of days covered <0.8. A total of 3571 patients (51.6% women) >or=66 years of age with acute stroke were discharged home, with 87.6% of women and 84.7% of men treated with antihypertensive therapy within 1 year of stroke. Men were more likely than women to be prescribed angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor monotherapy but just as likely to be prescribed angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor/diuretic combination. Women were more likely to be prescribed all other classes of antihypertensive therapy. Suboptimal adherence occurred in 32% of patients receiving thiazide diuretics, 25% for angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, and 38% for angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor/diuretic combination. There were no sex differences in adherence to these antihypertensive therapies. Patients who died after stroke had lower adherence to antihypertensive therapy compared with those who survived. In a cohort of elderly stroke patients, women were generally just as likely or more likely than men to receive antihypertensive prescriptions after stroke. Drug adherence was similarly poor in women and men.