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. 2020 Nov;16(2):82-100.
doi: 10.12927/hcpol.2020.26351.

The Impact of Prescription Medication Cost Coverage on Oral Medication Use for Hypertension and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Razan Amoud  1 , Kelly Grindrod  2 , Martin Cooke  3 , Mhd Wasem Alsabbagh  4
Affiliations

The Impact of Prescription Medication Cost Coverage on Oral Medication Use for Hypertension and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Razan Amoud et al. Healthc Policy. 2020 Nov.

Abstract
in English, French

Background: No previous study, to the best of our knowledge, has examined both the time trend and impact of not having insurance or prescription medication cost coverage (PMCC) on the usage of type 2 diabetes and hypertension oral medications in Ontario and New Brunswick, Canada.

Methods: We used data from the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) from 2007 to 2014 to examine the time trend and impact of PMCC. A multivariable-adjusted logistic regression model was fitted.

Results: The pseudo-cohort included 23,215 individuals representing a population of approximately 8.7 million people. Overall, 20.0% of respondents reported absence of PMCC. This proportion increased slightly from 19.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 95% CI [17.5, 22.5]) to 20.7% (95% CI [16.9, 23.1]). Adjusted odds ratios (OR) showed that uninsured individuals were 23% less likely to use their medications (OR = 0.77, 95% CI [0.657, 0.911]).

Conclusion: There was a slight decline in PMCC over time and this decline was associated with reduced use of medications for type 2 diabetes and hypertension.

Contexte:: Aucune étude, à notre connaissance, n'a examiné à la fois la tendance temporelle et l'impact de l'absence de régime d'assurance ou de couverture du coût des médicaments d'ordonnance (CCMO) sur l'utilisation des médicaments oraux contre le diabète de type 2 et l'hypertension en Ontario et au Nouveau-Brunswick, au Canada.

Méthode:: Nous avons utilisé les données de l'Enquête sur la santé dans les collectivités canadiennes (ESCC) de 2007 à 2014 pour examiner la tendance temporelle et l'impact de la CCMO. Un modèle de régression logistique ajusté à plusieurs variables a été employé.

Résultats:: La pseudo-cohorte comprenait 23 215 individus représentant une population d'environ 8,7 millions de personnes. Dans l'ensemble, 20,0 % des répondants ont signalé ne pas avoir de CCMO. Cette proportion a légèrement augmenté, passant de 19,6 % (intervalle de confiance [IC] à 95% [17,5; 22,5]) à 20,7 % (IC à 95% [16,9; 23,1]). Les rapports de cote (RC) corrigés montrent que les personnes non assurées sont moins susceptibles, dans une proportion de 23 %, d'utiliser leurs médicaments (RC = 0,77, IC à 95% [0,657; 0,911]).

Conclusion:: Il y a eu une légère baisse de la CCMO au fil du temps et cette baisse est associée à une réduction de l'utilisation des médicaments pour le diabète de type 2 et l'hypertension.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Steps taken to achieve study respondents
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Weighted percentage of Canadians with non-medication use by PMCC from 2007 to 2014
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
ORs of medication use with no PMCC in subgroups with 95% CI
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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References

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