Managing Medication Cost Burden: A Qualitative Study Exploring Experiences of People with Disabilities in Canada

Shikha Gupta, Mary Ann McColl, Sara J.T. Guilcher and Karen Smith
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Shikha Gupta: School of Rehabilitation Therapy, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
Mary Ann McColl: School of Rehabilitation Therapy, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
Sara J.T. Guilcher: Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3M2, Canada
Karen Smith: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 17, 1-17

Abstract: Despite the abundant literature on the burden of rising costs of prescription medications, there is limited research to explore how these costs affect people and the decisions they are forced to make within the context of disability. In this qualitative study we explored strategies adopted, factors influencing, and the impact of some of these strategies to manage the burden of medication cost among persons with disabilities. We interviewed 12 adults with spinal cord injuries living in Canada, using a general inductive approach to analyze the data. We found that before cutting back on medications due to costs, participants generally tried and sought help from the government, employers, and/or their prescribers to improve their drug coverage. The key factors that participants considered while making decisions on the strategies included the cost and perceived importance of medications, their financial status, other competing needs, and their relationship with the prescribers. While some of their efforts were successful, many participants were still not able to obtain their medications as prescribed. In those cases, patients resorted to rationing strategies such as cutting back on medications, other essential needs, or selling assets. These strategies had serious implications on their health, healthcare utilization, and quality of life.

Keywords: medication cost; spinal cord injury; treatment burden; disability; Canada (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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