Table 1 Characteristics of 509 subjects from the MCBS (2001 to 2006) included in the rheumatoid arthritis cohort
From: Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey
| Â | N (%) or median (IQR) |
|---|---|
Age at beginning of index round, years | 70.1 (IQR 68.0 to 74.9) |
Female | 366 (71.9%) |
Race/ethnicity | Â |
   Non-Hispanic, white | 389 (76.4%) |
   Non-Hispanic, black | 58 (11.4%) |
   Hispanic | 44 (8.6%) |
   Non-Hispanic, Other | 18 (3.5%) |
Region (at index round) | Â |
   Northeast | 108 (21.2%) |
   Midwest | 120 (23.6%) |
   South | 176 (34.6%) |
   West | 96 (18.9%) |
   Missing | 9 (1.8%) |
Years of education at index round | Â |
   ≤ high school | 343 (67.4%) |
   Beyond high school | 166 (32.6%) |
Annual income (US dollars) | Â |
   >50,000 | 26 (5.1%) |
   >30,000 to 50,000 | 103 (20.2%) |
   >20,000 to 30,000 | 110 (21.6%) |
   >15,000 to 20,000 | 64 (12.6%) |
   ≤ 15,000 | 187 (36.7%) |
   Missing | 19 (3.7%) |
Rheumatology visit during prior year | 120 (23.6%) |
Number of comorbid conditions during index round | Â |
   0 comorbid conditions | 19 (3.7%) |
   1 comorbid condition | 183 (36.0%) |
   2+ comorbid conditions | 307 (60.3%) |
Insurance status | Â |
   Private insurance | 315 (61.9%) |
   Managed care | 55 (10.8%) |
   Drug insurance | 382 (75.1%) |