Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Agency for Healthcare 

Research and Quality

STATISTICAL BRIEF #95 

September 2005 

Statin Use among Persons 18 and Older 

in the U.S. Civilian Noninstitutionalized 

Population Reported as Receiving 

Medical Care for the Treatment of High 

Cholesterol, 2002 

Highlights 

 During 2002, 81.8 percent of 

the 19.4 million persons 18

and older in the U.S. civilian 

noninstitutionalized population receiving medical care for 

the treatment of high cholesterol were using a statin. 

 The percentage of persons 

with a medical event related to

high cholesterol who were 

taking a statin was 88.0 percent for those age 65 and 

older and 84.8 percent for 

those age 55–64, both higher

than the 71.2 percent for 

persons age 18–54. 

 Of all persons 18 and older 

with a medical event related 

to the treatment of high 

cholesterol, a smaller percentage of Hispanics were 

taking a statin (70.0 percent) 

than white non-Hispanics 

single race (82.3 percent) and

black non-Hispanics single 

race (85.8 percent). 

 The percentage of persons 18

and older under care for the 

treatment of high cholesterol 

who were taking a statin was 

higher for those with health 

insurance coverage the entire 

year than for those uninsured 

at some point during the year. 

 In 2002, no significant differences were noted among 

persons receiving medical 

care to treat high cholesterol 

who were using a statin when

comparing by gender, education status, poverty status, 

health status, region, and 

metropolitan statistical area 

status.

Marie N. Stagnitti, MPA 

Introduction 

This Statistical Brief seeks to inform policymakers of subgroups of 

the U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population who used statins for 

the treatment of high cholesterol in 2002. Estimates of persons with

high cholesterol who were using a statin are compared for selected

demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, including age, 

race/ethnicity, and insurance status. 

The data used to produce the estimates in this brief are derived from

the Household Component of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey 

(MEPS-HC) for 2002. Data used to classify persons as to whether 

they had high cholesterol and whether they were taking a statin are 

based on information obtained from MEPS-HC respondents, who 

provided data for all members of their household, and the Multum 

Lexicon database. Persons with at least one reported medical event 

related to the treatment of high cholesterol were included in the 

analyses, and a person had to report at least one prescribed medicine purchase of a statin to be classified as a statin user. Free

samples are not included in these estimates. Results discussed are 

statistically significant at the .05 level. 

Findings 

In 2002, among the 19.4 million persons age 18 and older in the U.S.

civilian noninstitutionalized population receiving medical care for 

treatment of high cholesterol, 81.8 percent were using a statin (figure 

1). 

During 2002, the percentage of persons age 65 and older with a 

medical event related to high cholesterol who were taking a statin 

was nearly 90 percent (88.0 percent). The 71.2 percent of those age 

18–54 receiving care for high cholesterol who were taking a statin 

was lower than the 88.0 percent of persons age 65 and older and the 

84.8 percent of those persons age 55–64. (figure 1)
The percentage of Hispanics receiving treatment for high cholesterol who were taking a statin (70.0 

percent) was less than the comparable percentage for white non-Hispanics single race (82.3 percent) 

and black non-Hispanics single race (85.8 percent) in 2002 (figure 2). 

In 2002, among those under medical care for the treatment of high cholesterol, those with health 

insurance coverage all year had a higher percentage of persons taking a statin than those who were 

uninsured for all or part of the year. More specifically, there was a higher percentage of persons with 

private insurance only all year (78.5 percent), public insurance only all year (84.5 percent), and a 

combination of public and private insurance during the year (87.9 percent) receiving treatment for high 

cholesterol who were taking a statin compared to those who were uninsured at any time during the year 

(68.2 percent). In addition, those with private insurance only all year (78.5 percent) had a lower 

percentage of persons under treatment for high cholesterol who were taking a statin than those with 

public insurance only all year (84.5 percent) and those with a combination of public and private 

insurance during the year (87.9 percent). (figure 3) 

In 2002, no statistical differences were noted among persons receiving medical care for the treatment 

of high cholesterol who were taking a statin by gender, education status, poverty status, health status, 

region, and metropolitan statistical area status. 

Data Source 

The estimates presented in this Statistical Brief were derived from the 2002 MEPS full-year files and the 

2002 MEPS prescribed medicines (PMED) files. Statins were identified by linking the PMED files to the 

Multum Lexicon. Individuals were classified as using statins if they had one or more purchases of these 

drugs during the year. 

Definitions 

Use 

Use was defined as one or more purchases of a prescribed statin medicine. The group of drugs 

commonly known as statins is more formally referred to as 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A 

(HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors.* This brief focuses solely on this class of drugs. Other cholesterollowering drugs, such as fibric acid derivatives and bile acid sequestraints, were not included. For this 

brief, statins were determined by using the Multum Lexicon therapeutic classification variables from 

Cerner Multum, Inc. Statins were defined as those prescribed drugs in the Multum Lexicon therapeutic 

sub-class, HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitors. 

Conditions in MEPS 

Conditions in MEPS are household-reported conditions that are coded by professional medical coders 

using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9). Condition categories were 

aggregated into clinically meaningful categories by using AHRQ’s Clinical Classification Software 

(CCS). The CCS code representing high cholesterol is 053. Persons were included in the high 

cholesterol population if it was reported that they had at least one medical event in 2002 that was for 

the treatment of high cholesterol. If a person was reported to have more than one condition related to a 

medical event but at least one of the conditions was high cholesterol, the person was included in the 

analyses. 

Age 

Age was usually based on the sample person’s age at the end of the year. If the person was not in the 

survey at the end of the year, then age at the time he or she was last in the survey was used. 

Racial and ethnic classifications 

Classification by race and ethnicity was based on information reported for each family member. 

Respondents were asked if each family member's race was best described as American Indian, Alaska 

Native, Asian or Pacific Islander, black, white, or other. They also were asked if each family member's 

main national origin or ancestry was Puerto Rican; Cuban; Mexican, Mexicano, Mexican American, or 

Chicano; other Latin American; or other Spanish. All persons whose main national origin or ancestry 

was reported in one of these Hispanic groups, regardless of racial background, were classified as 

* Medline Plus http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/uspdi/202284.html 
Hispanic. Since the Hispanic grouping can include black Hispanic, white Hispanic, Asian and Pacific 

Islanders Hispanic, and other Hispanic, the race categories of black, white, Asian and Pacific Islanders, 

and other do not include Hispanic. Beginning in 2002, MEPS respondents were allowed to report 

multiple races, and these persons were included in the other non-Hispanic category. As a result, there 

was a slight increase in the percentage of persons classified in this category in 2002 compared with 

prior years. 

Health insurance status 

–Private only coverage all year: Private health insurance coverage was defined as nonpublic insurance 

that provided coverage for hospital and physician care (including Medigap coverage). People in this 

category had this type of insurance only for all 12 months of the year. 

–Public only coverage all year: People were considered to have public only health insurance coverage 

if they were not covered by private insurance, and they were covered by Medicare, Medicaid, 

TRICARE, or other public hospital and physician coverage for all twelve months of the year. 

–Uninsured any time during the year: People who lacked coverage for at least one month during the 

year were classified in the uninsured any time during the year category. People who were covered 

only by noncomprehensive State-specific programs (e.g., Maryland Kidney Disease Program) or 

private single service plans (e.g., coverage for dental or vision care only, coverage for accidents or 

specific diseases) were considered to be uninsured. 

–Combination of private and public insurance during the year: People who had a mix of private and


public health insurance coverage during the year were included in this category. People in this


category were not uninsured at any time during the year.


About MEPS-HC 

MEPS-HC is a nationally representative longitudinal survey that collects detailed information on health 

care utilization and expenditures, health insurance, and health status, as well as a wide variety of 

social, demographic, and economic characteristics for the civilian noninstitutionalized population. It is 

cosponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the National Center for Health 

Statistics. 

For more information about MEPS, call the MEPS information coordinator at AHRQ (301-427-1656) or 

visit the MEPS Web site at http://www.meps.ahrq.gov/. 

References 

For a detailed description of the MEPS survey design, sample design, and methods used to minimize 

sources of nonsampling error, see the following publications: 

Cohen, J. Design and Methods of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Household Component. 

MEPS Methodology Report No. 1. AHCPR Pub. No. 97-0026. Rockville, Md.: Agency for Health Care 

Policy and Research, 1997. 

Cohen, S. Sample Design of the 1996 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Household Component. 

MEPS Methodology Report No. 2. AHCPR Pub. No. 97-0027. Rockville, Md.: Agency for Health Care 

Policy and Research, 1997. 

Cohen, S. Design Strategies and Innovations in the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Medical Care, 

July 2003: 41(7) Supplement: III-5–III-12. 

Suggested Citation 

Stagnitti, M. N. Statin Use among Persons 18 and Older in the U.S. Civilian Noninstitutionalized 

Population Reported as Receiving Medical Care for the Treatment of High Cholesterol, 2002. Statistical 

Brief #95. September 2005. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, Md. http://www. 

meps.ahrq.gov/papers/st95/stat95.pdf 
� � �

AHRQ welcomes questions and comments from readers of this publication who are interested in 

obtaining more information about access, cost, use, financing, and quality of health care in the United 

States. We also invite you to tell us how you are using this Statistical Brief and other MEPS data and 

tools and to share suggestions on how MEPS products might be enhanced to further meet your needs. 

Please e-mail us at mepspd@ahrq.gov or send a letter to the address below: 

Steven B. Cohen, PhD 

Director 

Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends 

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality 

540 Gaither Road 

Rockville, MD 20850 
Source: Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends, AHRQ, Household Component of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, 2002.

Figure 1. Percentage of persons age 18 and older reported as

receiving medical care for the treatment of high cholesterol

who were taking a statin, by age, 2002

71.2

84.8 88.0

81.8

0

20

40

60

80

100

Overall Age 18-54 Age 55-64 Age 65 and over

P

ercent

Source: Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends, AHRQ, Household Component of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, 2002.

Figure 2. Percentage of persons age 18 and older reported as

receiving medical care for the treatment of high cholesterol

who were taking a statin, by race/ethnicity, 2002

85.8

79.7

70.0

82.3

0

20

40

60

80

100

White nonHispanic single

race

Black nonHispanic single

race

Hispanic Other single

race/multiple race

non-Hispanic

P

ercent
Source: Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends, AHRQ, Household Component of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, 2002.

Figure 3. Percentage of persons age 18 and older reported as

receiving medical care for the treatment of high cholesterol

who were taking a statin, by insurance status, 2002

84.5

68.2

87.9

78.5

0

20

40

60

80

100

Private only

insurance all year

Public only

insurance all year

Combination of

private and public

insurance during

the year

Uninsured any

time during the

year

P

ercent