Overview

Background

This dashboard uses glp1_data, a simulated electronic health record (EHR) dataset designed for an observational study evaluating whether GLP-1 agonist medications are protective against developing heart disease. The dataset mimics real-world clinical data commonly encountered in healthcare settings.

The study cohort includes adults aged 65 years and older, all with Type 2 diabetes, who were actively using insulin at baseline. These inclusion criteria reflect a higher-risk, medically complex population that is routinely managed in clinical practice. The dataset contains demographic characteristics, chronic disease diagnoses, medication use (including GLP-1 agonists), laboratory values, and Medicare insurance information.

GLP-1 agonists—a medication class that includes well-known agents such as Ozempic—are used to improve glycemic control in Type 2 diabetes and have additional benefits for weight reduction. However, because these medications are expensive and insurance coverage varies, there is growing concern about equitable access among older adults with chronic disease.

Research question: Are there demographic or insurance-related differences in access to GLP-1 therapy among patients of different racial/ethnic groups and Medicare plan types in this simulated dataset?

Understanding potential disparities in access to GLP-1 therapy is important for public health practitioners, as inequities in prescription patterns may contribute to unequal disease outcomes. By visualizing differences across race/ethnicity and Medicare coverage, this dashboard helps identify whether treatment is distributed equitably or if certain groups appear underrepresented among GLP-1 users.

Data source: glp1_data (simulated dataset).

GLP-1 use by race

This bar chart shows how the proportion of patients receiving GLP-1 therapy differs by race/ethnicity.

Heatmap of GLP-1 use by race × Medicare plan

The interactive heatmap allows viewers to explore how GLP-1 use varies across combinations of race and Medicare plan type. Darker cells indicate a higher proportion of GLP-1 users.

Results

In this simulated Medicare population, GLP-1 therapy use appeared to be fairly evenly distributed across racial and ethnic groups, with most groups showing a proportion close to a 50/50 split between users and non-users. While small differences were observed—such as slightly higher GLP-1 use among Multiracial and Native American participants and slightly lower use in others—these variations were modest and did not suggest major disparities.

The interactive heatmap examining the combination of race and Medicare plan type also showed no strong or consistent inequity patterns. Although some race–plan combinations displayed higher or lower proportions of GLP-1 use, these differences were not systematic and did not favor or disadvantage any single group across all plan types.

Overall, the findings suggest that GLP-1 access in this simulated dataset is largely equitable, with only subtle variations that could merit further exploration in a real-world setting.