Colleen Tewksbury, Emma Adelia Soliva, Krista Scheffey, Pui Lui Kwong, Karen Glanz
A total of 21,610 adults prescribed semaglutide or tirzepatide were identified through electronic health records in Phase I, and 2,628 completed the Phase II patient survey. Patients in Phase I were predominantly female, White, and privately insured, with a mean age of 49 years and mean BMI of 36 kg/m2. Most prescriptions were written by primary care providers. Among survey respondents in Phase II, 90.1% reported successfully filling their initial prescription and 80.5% remained on treatment. Among the 512 respondents who reported discontinued treatment, the most common reasons were insurance coverage discontinuation (37.7%), high medication costs (20.3%), and side effects (27.1%). Although 88.0% of respondents reported receiving medication-related instructions, only 27.0% reported receiving a referral to an additional health service, most commonly nutrition counseling.
INTRODUCTION: The widespread adoption of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP1-RAs) and related anti-obesity medications has transformed obesity treatment. However, limited data are available regarding the characteristics of patients receiving prescriptions for these medications and patients' real-world experiences with medication access, utilization, and supportive care.
METHODS: The CAMP (Characteristics of Anti-Obesity Medication Patients) study was conducted in a large academic health system. Phase I characterized demographic, clinical, and social determinants of health among adults prescribed semaglutide or tirzepatide for weight management between July 2023 and June 2024. Phase II was an online survey assessing prescription fulfillment, medication use, payment methods, discontinuation, counseling, and referrals to additional services. Descriptive statistics and bivariate analyses were used to summarize findings and examine differences between patients receiving a prescription for the lowest dose versus the higher doses.
RESULTS: A total of 21,610 adults prescribed semaglutide or tirzepatide were identified through electronic health records in Phase I, and 2,628 completed the Phase II patient survey. Patients in Phase I were predominantly female, White, and privately insured, with a mean age of 49 years and mean BMI of 36 kg/m2. Most prescriptions were written by primary care providers. Among survey respondents in Phase II, 90.1% reported successfully filling their initial prescription and 80.5% remained on treatment. Among the 512 respondents who reported discontinued treatment, the most common reasons were insurance coverage discontinuation (37.7%), high medication costs (20.3%), and side effects (27.1%). Although 88.0% of respondents reported receiving medication-related instructions, only 27.0% reported receiving a referral to an additional health service, most commonly nutrition counseling.
DISCUSSION: Patients prescribed contemporary anti-obesity medications were predominantly female, White, and privately insured. Financial barriers were the main reasons for treatment discontinuation, and potentially important referrals to nutrition and behavioral services were infrequent. These findings provide important real-world insights into the implementation of anti-obesity pharmacotherapy and identify leverage points for improving access, continued use, and multidisciplinary obesity treatment.