Influence of financial factors on adherence to medication

Abstract

Background: Financial factors are known to influence adherence to medication. Objectives: To study adherence to medication, the different forms of cost-related non-adherence and the degree of reporting that information to the doctor, as well as to study measures to facilitate adherence. Type of study: Cross-sectional study Setting: Loures Family Health Unit Population: Patients over 17 years of age in April 2011, registered with a family physician in the Loures Family Health Unit. Methods: A convenience sample of 227 patients received the study questionnaire. It evaluated forms of non-adherence due to financial reasons in the past four months including increasing the time between doses, taking smaller doses, postponing the purchase of medication, and not purchasing medication. It also assessed if the patient had reported cost-related non-adherence to the doctor, non-adherence for other reasons, requests for less expensive drugs, requests for financial support for medication and delaying other purchases to buy medication. Results: Of the 227 people studied, 79% reported medication non-adherence. Of these, 51% were for financial reasons (31% exclusively). Cost-related non-adherence was expressed by 84% of patients by postponing the purchase of medication, in 46% by not purchasing medication, in 44% by increasing the time between doses and in 38% by taking smaller doses. Among tho- se patients with cost-related non-adherence, only 30% reported it to their doctors. Regarding measures to facilitate medica- tion adherence, 52% of patients said they have asked for less expensive drugs, 41% did not buy other things to purchase me- dication, and 12% asked for economic support to purchase medication. Conclusions: Cost-related non-adherence was reported by a high percentage of individuals in this sample. Most patients did not report this to their doctors.