#Black, #Hispanic patients with #epilepsy less likely to get latest #treatment

Investigators found that, overall, 66% of White people were prescribed second-generation drugs compared to 64% of Black and Hispanic patients, and 56% of Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander patients. Photo by D G/Pixabay American adults who have epilepsy and are Black or Hispanic are less likely than White adults to be prescribed the latest medications, according to new research. “While finding the right medication is often a trial-and-error process that is based on the individual, studies have shown that use of newer medications improves outcomes, and some newer medications have fewer side effects,” said study author Wyatt Bensken, a health disparities investigator at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. “These results show that a sizeable proportion of people may not be on an optimal treatment regimen, and the differences appear to reflect clear racial and ethnic inequities in care,” Bensken added. The researchers studied the issue using Medicaid data for adults in 15 states who filled at least two prescriptions for epilepsy drugs from 2010 to 2014.

via upi: Black, Hispanic patients with epilepsy less likely to get latest treatment

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