Map Details – Pharmacy Locations, Medication Adherence Project Pharmacies, and County-Level Rates of Blood Pressure Medication Adherence (RASA) in Maine
Impact Statement
Counties with lower medication adherence rates were identified as populations of need, and adding point-level pharmacy data illustrates where the state health department could partner with pharmacies. Future interventions may include self-measured blood pressure (SMBP), lifestyle change programs, or telehealth, and could be tailored based on population density.
Major Findings
Identify: Counties with significantly lower rates of blood pressure medication adherence among all Maine counties.
Assess: Locations of all chain and independent pharmacies, Medication Adherence Project pharmacies, and county-level population density.
How the map will be used, or has been used
Act 1: Determine if county-level blood pressure medication adherence rates were higher or lower in counties with Medication Adherence Pharmacies.
Act 2: Determine counties to target for future program interventions with pharmacies. Future interventions may include partnering for self-measured blood pressure (SMBP), lifestyle change programs, or telehealth, and may be tailored based on population density. For instance, SMBP and telehealth may be more beneficial in counties with lower population density, as in-person lifestyle change programs may be less effective if the patient needs to drive more frequently to the retail pharmacy. Using a combined approach in counties with medium to high population density may see a high proportion of Mainers with improved health outcomes.