Prescription Drug Use Varies Widely by Region

Join Our Community of Science Lovers!

Image: EXPRESS SCRIPTS INC.

New Yorkers and Californians may not be as neurotic as they seem¿or at least, they're not prone to heavy prescription drug use. In fact, New York and California are among those states with the lowest prescription drug use in the U.S., according to a new study conducted by Express Scripts, a pharmacy benefit management company. Express Scripts announced the findings today at their annual Outcomes Conference.

The study, based on a random sample of 8.8 million Express Scripts customers, revealed that New York, California, Massachusetts and Colorado all had an average of 7.7 prescriptions per customer per year (see map). New Jersey, Florida and Minnesota followed with 8.2, 8.2 and 8.1 prescriptions per customer per year, respectively. Texans had 10.5 prescriptions per year and Louisianians, 11; the heaviest prescription drug users¿at more than 11 prescriptions a year¿lived in Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia.

On supporting science journalism

If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.

The survey also showed that different drugs were used to differing degrees in different states. Residents of Utah, Maine, Oregon and Washington, for example, took the most antidepressants, whereas Southerners in West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, South Carolina, Louisiana and Mississippi received more cardiovascular medication. At the same time, people in Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana and South Carolina used the fewest asthma drugs. "Such wide regional variation adds an entirely new dimension to an already complex pharmacy landscape," says Barrett Toan, CEO of Express Scripts. "We suspect the explanation lies in physicians' prescribing habits and the health status of a state's population, but consumer preferences may also play a role."

It’s Time to Stand Up for Science

If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history.

I’ve been a Scientific American subscriber since I was 12 years old, and it helped shape the way I look at the world. SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe. I hope it does that for you, too.

If you subscribe to Scientific American, you help ensure that our coverage is centered on meaningful research and discovery; that we have the resources to report on the decisions that threaten labs across the U.S.; and that we support both budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized.

In return, you get essential news, captivating podcasts, brilliant infographics, can't-miss newsletters, must-watch videos, challenging games, and the science world's best writing and reporting. You can even gift someone a subscription.

There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you’ll support us in that mission.

Thank you,

David M. Ewalt, Editor in Chief, Scientific American