Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Prescribing of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists in the United States: A Retrospective Cohort Analysis

Background: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) represents a major public health burden in the United States, with racial disparities in medication use potentially exacerbating inequities in health outcomes. This study examined racial/ethnic differences in the prescription of high-efficacy glucose-lowering medications for T2D using a large EHR network (TriNetX).

Methods: A retrospective cohort study included adults with uncomplicated T2D (ICD-10: E11.9), categorized as Hispanic or Latino (Hispanic) or non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN), Asian, Black, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (NH/PI), and White. Adjusted odds ratios for GLP-1 receptor agonist medications (tirzepatide, semaglutide, and dulaglutide) prescriptions in 2022-2023 were calculated by race/ethnicity, controlling for age, sex, and Charlson Comorbidity Index.

Findings: Among 57,320 patients included in the analysis, we observed significant racial disparities in the prescribing of GLP-1 medications. Compared to White patients, for tirzepatide, adjusted odds ratios prescriptions were 0.6 (95% CI: 0.4-0.9) for AI/AN, 0.3 (95% CI: 0.3-0.4) for Asian, 0.7 (95% CI: 0.6-0.9) for Black, 0.4 (95% CI: 0.3-0.5) for Hispanic, and 0.4 (95% CI: 0.3-0.6) for NH/PI. For semaglutide, adjusted odds ratios were 0.8 (95% CI: 0.7-0.9) for AI/AN, 0.5 (95% CI: 0.5-0.6) for Asian, 0.8 (95% CI: 0.7-0.9) for Black, 0.6 (95% CI: 0.6-0.7) for Hispanic, and 0.6 (95% CI: 0.5-0.8) for NH/PI. For dulaglutide, adjusted odds ratios were 1.2 (95% CI: 1.0-1.4) for AI/AN, 0.5 (95% CI: 0.4-0.5) for Asian, 1.0 (95% CI: 0.9-1.1) for Black, 0.9 (95% CI: 0.8-1.0) for Hispanic, and 0.5 (95% CI: 0.4-0.6) for NH/PI.

Interpretation: Racial disparities in high-efficacy diabetes medication prescriptions may contribute to unequal health outcomes in T2D, highlighting the need for targeted research and interventions for equitable diabetes care.