Women are more likely to skip prescriptions due to cost
A recent study found that medication nonadherence due to cost was 54% more common among younger American women than men.
Cost is, without question, the biggest barrier to health care for most Americans. Consumers avoid care not only when they know they can’t afford it, but often because they simply have no idea what the final bill will be.
And, just like many other financial issues, it’s worse for women than it is for men. A recent study in Health Affairs examined rates of prescription medication adherence among men and women, further comparing American consumers to those in other countries, finding that medication nonadherence due to cost was 54% more common among younger American women. For the purposes of the study, “nonadherence” was defined as “did not fill/collect a prescription for medicine or skipped doses because of the cost” in the past 12 months.
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As Americans age, the disparity between adherence in men and women decreases, likely due to the availability of more generous coverage options for older adults through programs like Medicare. In the other countries included in the analysis, no significant difference exists at any age, though nonadherence rates tended to be higher in countries where consumers face a greater cost-sharing burden, such as the United States, Australia or Canada.
“Our study is also consistent with U.S. studies that have found that women face a higher out-of-pocket spending burden than men for prescription drugs or are more likely to report cost-related nonadherence in the non-elderly population and in the elderly population and for specific populations such as cancer survivors, people with disabilities, stroke patients, and patients with cardiovascular disease,” the authors note.
Though the study did not go so far as to identify any particular factors contributing to the disparity in medication adherence, there are several that have been raised in recent years, including the higher cost of medications and medical services for women. The authors also point to the health insurance system of the United States and the higher financial burden it places on patients.
“The larger magnitude of the female-male disparity in the U.S. may reflect the relatively high premiums, deductibles, and other out-of-pocket payments that patients face, particularly privately insured and uninsured noneldery patients,” the authors write.
There are, of course, several non-health-related factors at play, including the income disparity between women and men. As noted by the authors, “beyond the availability and structure of health insurance, social and economic policies differ across nations, including welfare assistance, minimum wage laws, poverty alleviation programs, family leave, and childcare support.”
Critically, the authors conclude by pointing out the larger implications of these cost issues on women’s health: without proper medical treatment, women are more likely to develop chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension, creating a further rift between the overall health of men and women.
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