Cost-Related Medication Nonadherence for Older Adults Participating in SNAP, 2013-2015

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Participation Among Older Adults in Missouri: Challenges Applying for and Using SNAP Benefits

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the nation's largest safety net program helping older adults achieve food security. However, 3 out of 5 qualified older adults do not participate in SNAP. We explored why older adults in Missouri do not seek SNAP benefits and to understand changes needed to enhance SNAP participation. We conducted focus group discussions and interviews with national and regional key informants, older adult SNAP participants and SNAP-eligible nonparticipants, and food bank outreach staff. Discussions and interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim to explore common themes. Older adults, key informants and outreach staff reported challenges faced when applying for and using SNAP, including feelings of shame. Older adults commented that benefit amounts don't increase proportionally to increasing food costs. Other barriers included difficulties applying due to challenges using or lack of access to technology and gathering the necessary information to apply. Although food insecurity and poor nutrition are serious problems among older adults, several challenges keep seniors from taking advantage of SNAP. Findings suggest that streamlining the application process and establishing the Elderly Simplified Application could help enhance SNAP participation. Education and increased outreach efforts could also help improve awareness about SNAP among older adults.

The association between hunger-coping economic tradeoffs and food insecurity among female recipients of charitable food assistance

Food insecurity is an indicator of well-being in the United States. A high proportion of recipients of charitable food assistance (CFA) are women and are often in charge of specific household managerial responsibilities (e.g., childcare, transportation). Consequently, they frequently face choices between paying for food and paying for other basic need(s). This study aims to examine which hunger-coping economic tradeoffs place females with at least one dependent child in the house and females without a dependent child in the house at risk for experiencing food insecurity. Data was collected at 10 Houston-area and 10-Atlanta-area food pantries in 2022 (N = 883). Using USDA cutoff criteria, households were considered food insecure based on ≥3 affirmative responses to the 18-item Food Security Scale Module. Hunger-coping economic tradeoff experiences were based on affirmative responses to whether anyone in the household ever had to choose between food and six basic needs (i.e. childcare, medicine/medical care, utilities, rent/mortgage, transportation, education). Covariate-adjusted logistic regression models were conducted to understand the relationship between six hunger-coping economic tradeoffs and food insecurity for the entire analytic sample and stratified by whether the female participant had a child in house. Standard errors in all regression models were corrected to account for multiple observations within a pantry. Adults, on average, were 55 years old (58% food insecure; 47% Hispanic; 42% black). Four hunger-coping economic tradeoffs were related to experiencing food insecurity. Economic tradeoffs between food and a) medicine/medical care and b) transportation elevated the likelihood of food insecurity, regardless of child status. Tradeoffs between food and childcare increased the risk for experiencing food insecurity among females with a dependent child. Deciding to pay between food and utilities was related to food insecurity experiences among females without a dependent child. Increases in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and eligibility along with programs to enhance resources related to medical care, transportation, childcare and utilities could help reduce food insecurity, especially among CFA recipients.

Methods Used to Evaluate the Health Effects of Social Policies: A Systematic Review

Purpose of review

Despite the growth of research on social policies and health in recent years, few studies have systematically summarized the methodological approaches used in this growing literature. This review characterizes the range of and trends in analytic methods used in studies of the health effects of US social policies published in leading health journals during January 2014-July 2024.

Recent findings

Among the 117 studies reviewed, confounder-control approaches were the most commonly used method to assess health effects of social policies. Quasi-experimental methods were also frequently used, especially difference-in-differences designs. Heterogeneous subgroup effects were consistently assessed.

Summary

Although there was frequent use of quasi-experimental designs that meet standards for rigorous evidence used to inform policymaking, many opportunities for improvement remain. We suggest improvements to data infrastructure, highlight less frequently studied policies as fruitful future research opportunities, and encourage researchers to implement quasi-experimental approaches best suited to identify causal estimates.

Sociodemographic inequities in COVID-19 vaccination among adults in the United States, 2022

BACKGROUND

Despite the availability of COVID-19 vaccines since December 2020, sociodemographic inequities in vaccination and preventable COVID-related deaths persist. To inform efforts for equitable COVID-19 vaccination campaigns, a comprehensive national evaluation of existing inequities is necessary.

OBJECTIVE

To examine sociodemographic inequities in COVID-19 vaccination receipt using data from the 2022 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS).

METHODS

This secondary data analysis used cross-sectional nationally-representative data from the 2022 NHIS to assess vaccination inequities among 27,126 adults. Separate Poisson regressions adjusted for clinical factors (e.g., age, sex, high-risk health conditions) were used to evaluate vaccination inequities across sociographic factors (e.g., race/ethnicity, poverty, health insurance).

RESULTS

In 2022, 79.6% of adults received at ≥ 1 vaccine dose, 75.0% received ≥ 2 doses ("fully vaccinated"), 45.7% received ≥ 3 doses (≥ 1 booster), and 17.2% received ≥ 4 doses (≥ 2 boosters). Marked inequities were evident in COVID-19 vaccination across primary and booster doses, especially receipt of at least 1 booster dose (≥ 3 doses). Black (35.7%, prevalence ratio [PR] 0.78 [95% CI 0.74-0.83]) and Latinx (35.5%, PR 0.82 [CI 0.78-0.86]) adults were less likely to receive ≥ 3 doses than Asian (66.5%, PR 1.41 [CI 1.35-1.48]) and White (48.8%) adults. Poverty (31.1% [PR 0.65 {CI 0.61-0.69}] vs. 50.7%) and food insecurity (27.1% [PR 0.63 {CI 0.58-0.68}] vs. 47.3%) were negatively associated with receipt of ≥ 3 vaccine doses. Adults without usual source of care (24.9%, PR 0.61 [CI 0.57-0.65]) or health insurance (17.4%, PR 0.40 [CI 0.36-0.45]) had much lower rates of ≥ 3 doses than those with appropriate health care access (48.7% and 51.9%, respectively).

CONCLUSION

As of 2022, 1-in-5 U.S. adults remain unvaccinated, and more than half have not received any recommended booster doses. Economically/socially marginalized populations-including Black and Latinx adults and those with structural barriers such as poverty, food insecurity, and poor health care access-were less likely to receive a booster. Addressing these vaccination inequities is crucial to achieve equitable COVID-19 protection and reduce preventable deaths among economically/socially marginalized populations.

Association of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participation duration with cost-related medication non-adherence and emergency department visits

OBJECTIVE

Administrative requirements could disrupt sustained Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participation among income-eligible individuals. To meet their food needs, low-income individuals without consistent SNAP benefits may compromise on medication use, posing a risk to their health. The objective of this study is to examine the association of SNAP participation duration in a given year with cost-related medication nonadherence (CRN) and emergency department (ED) use in income-eligible individuals.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional.

SAMPLE

Non-elderly and elderly adults who used prescription medications and participated in SNAP the previous year in 2016-2018 National Health Interview Survey. Subsamples included individuals with specific chronic conditions.

MEASUREMENTS

CRN and ED usage.

RESULTS

SNAP participation for <12 months in the previous year was related to increased CRN and ED use in nonelderly adults taking prescription medication, as well as in those with hypertension, cardiovascular disease and asthma. Further, <12-month SNAP participation was associated with greater odds of having at least one ED visit in nonelderly and elderly adults.

CONCLUSIONS

Sustained SNAP participation could help income-eligible individuals better adhere to their prescribed medications and reduce health complications requiring ED visits. Findings suggest the importance of addressing SNAP participation gaps among income-eligible individuals in health care settings.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Adherence to Antihypertensive Medications

Importance

Nonadherence to antihypertensive medications is associated with uncontrolled blood pressure, higher mortality rates, and increased health care costs, and food insecurity is one of the modifiable medication nonadherence risk factors. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), a social intervention program for addressing food insecurity, may help improve adherence to antihypertensive medications.

Objective

To evaluate whether receipt of SNAP benefits can modify the consequences of food insecurity on nonadherence to antihypertensive medications.

Design, Setting, and Participants

A retrospective cohort study design was used to assemble a cohort of antihypertensive medication users from the linked Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)-National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) dataset for 2016 to 2017. The MEPS is a national longitudinal survey on verified self-reported prescribed medication use and health care access measures, and the NHIS is an annual cross-sectional survey of US households that collects comprehensive health information, health behavior, and sociodemographic data, including receipt of SNAP benefits. Receipt of SNAP benefits in the past 12 months and food insecurity status in the past 30 days were assessed through standard questionnaires during the study period. Data analysis was performed from March to December 2021.

Exposure

Status of SNAP benefit receipt.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The main outcome, nonadherence to antihypertensive medication refill adherence (MRA), was defined using the MEPS data as the total days' supply divided by 365 days for each antihypertensive medication class. Patients were considered nonadherent if their overall MRA was less than 80%. Food insecurity status in the 30 days prior to the survey was modeled as the effect modifier. Inverse probability of treatment (IPT) weighting was used to control for measured confounding effects of baseline covariates. A probit model was used, weighted by the product of the computed IPT weights and MEPS weights, to estimate the population average treatment effects (PATEs) of SNAP benefit receipt on nonadherence. A stratified analysis approach was used to assess for potential effect modification by food insecurity status.

Results

This analysis involved 6692 antihypertensive medication users, of whom 1203 (12.8%) reported receiving SNAP benefits and 1338 (14.8%) were considered as food insecure. The mean (SD) age was 63.0 (13.3) years; 3632 (51.3%) of the participants were women and 3060 (45.7%) were men. Although SNAP was not associated with nonadherence to antihypertensive medications in the overall population, it was associated with a 13.6-percentage point reduction in nonadherence (PATE, -13.6 [95% CI, -25.0 to -2.3]) among the food-insecure subgroup but not among their food-secure counterparts.

Conclusions and Relevance

This analysis of a national observational dataset suggests that patients with hypertension who receive SNAP benefits may be less likely to become nonadherent to antihypertensive medication, especially if they are experiencing food insecurity. Further examination of the role of SNAP as a potential intervention for preventing nonadherence to antihypertensive medications through prospectively designed interventional studies or natural experiment study designs is needed.

Cost-related medication nonadherence in US adults with asthma: The National Health Interview Survey, 2013-2020

BACKGROUND

Asthma is a chronic disease that needs long-term control for secondary prevention. Health-related expenditures resulting from asthma are rising in the United States, and medication nonadherence is associated with adverse health outcomes in patients with asthma.

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the prevalence and risk factors of cost-related medication nonadherence (CRN) in individuals with asthma in the United States.

METHODS

We identified patients aged above or equal to 18 years with a history of asthma in nationally representative cross-sectional data, the National Health Interview Survey 2013 to 2020. Participants were considered to have experienced CRN if at any time in the 12 months they reported skipping doses, taking less medication, or delaying filling a prescription to save money. The weighted prevalence of CRN was estimated overall and by subgroups. Logistic regression was used to identify CRN-related characteristics.

RESULTS

Of the 26,539 National Health Interview Survey participants with a history of asthma, 4360 (15.77%; representing 3.92 million of the US population) reported CRN, with 10.12% (weighted 2.51 million) of patients skipping doses to save money, 10.82% (weighted 2.69 million) taking less medication to save money, and 13.35% (weighted 3.31 million) delaying filling a prescription to save money. The subgroups young, women, low income, no health insurance, currently smoking, and with comorbidities had a higher prevalence of CRN. The results of this sensitivity analysis did not differ from the overall results.

CONCLUSION

In the United States, 1 in 6 adults with a history of asthma is nonadherence with medications due to costs. Removing financial barriers to accessing medication can improve medication adherence in patients with asthma.

SNAP Participation and Medication Adherence Among Older Black Medicaid-Insured Individuals Living With Hypertension

BACKGROUND

Black people are more likely to be diagnosed with hypertension and to experience food insecurity and antihypertensive medication non-adherence compared to White people in the U.S. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)-a means-tested program that targets food insecurity has been shown to affect health outcomes. This study analyzed the relationship between SNAP participation and antihypertensive medication adherence among older Black Medicaid-insured individuals.

METHODS

This is a retrospective cohort study using linked 2006-2014 state of Missouri Medicaid and SNAP administrative claims data. Analyses were restricted to older (≥60 years) Black individuals who were continuously enrolled in Medicaid for 12 months following their first observed claim for hypertension at or after age 60 years with at least one pharmacy claim (n = 10,693). Our outcome measure is a dichotomous measure of antihypertensive medication adherence defined using the Proportion of Days Covered (≥80% PDC = 1). The exposure variables are four measures of SNAP participation.

RESULTS

A higher proportion of SNAP participants were adherent to their antihypertensive medications compared to non-SNAP participants (43.5% vs. 32.0%). On multivariable analyses, compared to non-SNAP participants there was an increased likelihood of antihypertensive medication adherence among SNAP participants (prevalence ratio [PR] = 1.25; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.16-1.35). Compared to those who participated in SNAP for 1-3 months during the 12-month continuous enrollment, there was an increased likelihood of antihypertensive medication adherence among those who were enrolled for 10-12 months (PR = 1.41; 95% CI = 1.08-1.85).

CONCLUSIONS

Medicaid-insured older Black adults who were SNAP participants had a higher likelihood of antihypertensive medication adherence compared to non-SNAP participants.

Relationship Between Unmet Social Needs and Care Access in a Veteran Cohort

BACKGROUND

The association between unmet social needs (e.g., food insecurity) and adverse health outcomes is well-established, especially for patients with and at risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). This has motivated healthcare systems to focus on unmet social needs. Yet, little is known about the mechanisms by which unmet social needs impact health, which limits healthcare-based intervention design and evaluation. One conceptual framework posits that unmet social needs may impact health by limiting care access, but this remains understudied.

OBJECTIVE

Examine the relationship between unmet social needs and care access.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study design using survey data on unmet needs merged with administrative data from the Veterans Health Administration (VA) Corporate Data Warehouse (September 2019-March 2021) and multivariable models to predict care access outcomes. Pooled and separate rural and urban logistic regression models were utilized with adjustments from sociodemographics, region, and comorbidity.

SUBJECTS

A national stratified random sample of VA-enrolled Veterans with and at risk for CVD who responded to the survey.

MAIN MEASURES

No-show appointments were defined dichotomously as patients with one or more missed outpatient visits. Medication non-adherence was measured as proportion of days covered and defined dichotomously as adherence less than 80%.

KEY RESULTS

Greater burden of unmet social needs was associated with significantly higher odds of no-show appointments (OR = 3.27, 95% CI = 2.43, 4.39) and medication non-adherence (OR = 1.59, 95% CI = 1.19, 2.13), with similar associations observed for rural and urban Veterans. Social disconnection and legal needs were especially strong predictors of care access measures.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings suggest that unmet social needs may adversely impact care access. Findings also point to specific unmet social needs that may be especially impactful and thus might be prioritized for interventions, in particular social disconnection and legal needs.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Participation and Medication Adherence Among Medicaid-Insured Older Adults Living with Hypertension

BACKGROUND

Food insecurity has been associated with medication non-adherence among individuals living with chronic diseases like hypertension. The relationship between Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)-a public program that addresses food insecurity-and Medication adherence among older Medicaid-insured adults living with hypertension is not clear.

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the association between patterns of SNAP participation and adherence to antihypertensive medications among older Medicaid-insured individuals.

DESIGN

Retrospective study using linked 2006-2014 state of Missouri's Medicaid claims and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program data.

PARTICIPANTS

Older adults (≥ 60 years) who were continuously enrolled in Medicaid for 12 months following their first observed claim for hypertension at or after age 60.

MAIN MEASURES

The outcome measure was medication adherence assessed using the proportion of days covered (PDC). The exposure measures were as follows: (1) receipt of SNAP benefits (no [0], yes [1]); (2) SNAP benefits receipt during the 12-month Medicaid continuous enrollment (no [0], yes [1]); (3) duration of SNAP participation during the 12-month continuous Medicaid enrollment; and (4) SNAP participation pattern.

KEY RESULTS

On multivariable analyses, there was a statistically significant association between ever participating in SNAP and medication adherence (β = 0.32; S.E. = 0.011). Compared to those who participated in SNAP for 1-3 months during the 12-month continuous enrollment, there was an increased likelihood of medication adherence among those who were enrolled for 10-12 months (β = 0.44, S.E. = 0.041).

CONCLUSIONS

Medicaid-insured older adults who are SNAP participants or enrolled in SNAP for 10-12 months of a 12-month Medicaid continuous enrollment period are more likely to be adherent to antihypertensive medication compared to non-SNAP participants or those enrolled for 1-3 months, respectively.

Assessing and Addressing Social Determinants of Cardiovascular Health: JACC State-of-the-Art Review

Social determinants of health (SDOH) are the social conditions in which people are born, live, and work. SDOH offers a more inclusive view of how environment, geographic location, neighborhoods, access to health care, nutrition, socioeconomics, and so on are critical in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. SDOH will continue to increase in relevance and integration of patient management, thus, applying the information herein to clinical and health systems will become increasingly commonplace. This state-of-the-art review covers the 5 domains of SDOH, including economic stability, education, health care access and quality, social and community context, and neighborhood and built environment. Recognizing and addressing SDOH is an important step toward achieving equity in cardiovascular care. We discuss each SDOH within the context of cardiovascular disease, how they can be assessed by clinicians and within health care systems, and key strategies for clinicians and health care systems to address these SDOH. Summaries of these tools and key strategies are provided.

An adapted model of cost-related medication nonadherence among older adult patients with chronic diseases: an Iranian qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Following the rapid aging of population, some concerns have emerged regarding increasing demand for health care services and the consequent increase in health costs. Besides, older adult patients with chronic disease are more prone to show cost-related medication non-adherence (CRN) to cope with their medication costs. The objective of this qualitative study was to develop an adopted conceptual framework on the contextual determinants that affect the CRN in older adult patients with chronic diseases.

METHODS

Problem-centered, semi-structured, in-depth, and face-to-face interviews, were conducted with healthcare informants in Iran, from Sep. 2021 to Feb. 2022. Collected data were analyzed using deductive and inductive analytic approaches and content analysis methodology was used to develop the model. This study applies to the COREQ checklist.

RESULTS

Fifteen informants, including 8 (60%) males, with mean ± SD age of 44.4 ± 9.7 years, entered into the study. Based on the data analysis performed on the information obtained from the interview with 3 subgroups of geriatricians, health policymakers, and pharmacists, six major themes identified as determinants: 1) socio-economic factors, 2) health system-related factors, 3) healthcare provider-related factors, 4) medication-related factors, 5) disease-related factors, and 6) patient-related factors. There were also 23 minor themes which were matched with the aforementioned six major themes.

CONCLUSION

The final framework obtained in this qualitative study depicts CRN as an issue that is highly likely affected by six main determinants among older patients with chronic disease. Our findings emphasize that policymakers would focus on certain major themes and allocate resources to programs to improve medication therapy management in older adult patients.

Dose response relationship between food insecurity and quality of life in United States adults: 2016-2017

BACKGROUND

Food insecurity is associated with worse general health rating, but little research exists investigating whether there is a dose response relationship across levels of food security and mental and physical health domains at the population level.

METHODS

Data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (2016-2017) with US adults aged 18 years and older was used. The physical component score (PCS) and mental component score (MCS) of Quality of Life, served as the outcome measures. Four categories of food insecurity (high, marginal, low, very low food security) served as the primary independent variable. Linear regression was used to run unadjusted followed by adjusted models. Separate models were run for PCS and MCS.

RESULTS

In a sample of US adults, 16.1% reported some degree of food insecurity. For PCS, marginal (β = - 2.54 (p < 0.001), low (β = - 3.41, (p < 0.001), and very low (β = - 5.62, (p < 0.001) food security was associated with worse PCS scores, compared to adults with high food security. For MCS, marginal (β = - 3.90 (p < 0.001), low (β = - 4.79, (p < 0.001), and very low (β = - 9.72, (p < 0.001) food security was associated with worse MCS scores, compared to adults with high food security.

CONCLUSION

Increasing levels of food insecurity were associated with decreased physical and mental health quality of life scores. This relationship was not explained by demographic factors, socioeconomic factors, insurance, or comorbidity burden. This study suggests work is needed to mitigate the impact of social risk, such as food insecurity, on quality of life in adults, and understand pathways and mechanisms for this relationship.

Food Insecurity Among Individuals With Cardiovascular Disease and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors Across Race and Ethnicity in 1999-2018

Importance

Food insecurity is a risk factor for poor cardiovascular outcomes that occur disproportionately among individuals from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds who have cardiovascular disease (CVD) or cardiometabolic risk factors.

Objective

To assess long-term prevalence of food insecurity among those with CVD or cardiometabolic risk factors in the United States.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This serial cross-sectional study includes data for noninstitutionalized US adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999-2018).

Main Outcomes and Measures

Food insecurity was assessed using the US Department of Agriculture Adult Food Security Survey Module. We estimated prevalence of food insecurity among adults with prior CVD (myocardial infarction, stroke, heart failure) and cardiometabolic risk factors (hypertension, diabetes, obesity, hyperlipidemia) across racial and ethnic groups and prevalence of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participation among those reporting food insecurity.

Results

In the analytic sample of 57 517 adults, 6770 individuals (11.8%) reported food insecurity, which was more prevalent among Hispanic (1938 [24.0%]) and non-Hispanic Black (1202 [18.2%]) than non-Hispanic Asian (100 [8.0%]) and non-Hispanic White adults (3221 [8.5%]). Among 57 517 adults, 4527 (7.9%) had any CVD, 2933 (5.1%) coronary artery disease, 1536 (2.7%) stroke, 1363 (2.4%) heart failure, 28 528 (49.6%) hypertension, 17 979 (33.2%) obesity, 6418 (11.2%) diabetes, and 19 178 (30.8%) dyslipidemia. All CVD and cardiometabolic diseases except coronary artery disease were more prevalent among those with food insecurity. Food insecurity increased over time and was more frequent for patients with CVD but not for cardiometabolic risk factors. From 2011 to 2018, non-Hispanic Black adults with CVD had a decrease in food insecurity prevalence (36.6%; 95% CI, 23.9%-49.4%, to 25.4%; 95% CI, 21.4%-29.3%; P = .04 for trend), whereas adults of other races and ethnicities or data based on cardiometabolic risk factors had no significant change. For individuals who had food insecurity, SNAP participation was higher among those with CVD vs without CVD (54.2%; 95% CI, 46.6%-61.8%, vs 44.3%; 95% CI, 40.5%-48.1%; P = .01).

Conclusions and Relevance

The prevalence of food insecurity among patients with CVD increased over time. Although members of non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic groups had the highest food insecurity, non-Hispanic Black individuals with CVD were the only group to have a significant decrease in food insecurity since 2011. Increased recognition of food insecurity and resources for treating it are needed to address the negative consequences of food insecurity on CVD outcomes.

Food Insecurity in the Households of Polish Elderly: Diversity in the Perception of Its Causes by Demographic and Socioeconomic Characteristics

The aging of societies and the quality of life of the elderly may be accompanied by food insecurity. The aim of the study was to find the relationships between the perceptions of various causes of food insecurity, i.e., financial, social, health, and spatial, and then between those and the selected sociodemographic characteristics. The survey was conducted in late 2018 and early 2019 among 760 people aged 65 and older in two regions of Poland. Factor analysis with the use of principal component analysis (PCA) was used to identify the main causes of the prevalence of food insecurity. Cluster analysis using Ward’s hierarchical classification and logistic regression analysis were used to assess the relationship between the identified reasons for food insecurity, demographic characteristics, and socioeconomic status (SES). Two groups of causes that favor the experience of food insecurity among the elderly were identified, i.e., economic–social reasons and spatial–health reasons. They relate to such situations of food insecurity as concerns about food shortages, lack of staple foods, limited size or frequency of meals, and skipping meals. The high importance of economic–social (HE-S) reasons was associated with the low importance of spatial–health (LS-H) reasons, and conversely, the high importance of spatial–health (HS-H) causes was associated with the low importance of economic–social (LE-S) causes. HE-S and LS-H reasons were combined with low SES and residence in a city of more than 100,000 inhabitants. HS-H causes, on the other hand, were associated with LE-S causes and living in rural areas or towns of fewer than 100,000 inhabitants, as well as high SES. This specificity should be considered in the development of strategies and interventions aimed at reducing the phenomenon of experiencing food insecurity in the elderly population.

The SNAP Cycle and Diabetes Management During a One-Time Change in Disbursement Schedule

OBJECTIVE

The 2018-2019 federal government partial shutdown resulted in a one-time disruption to the usual disbursement schedule of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits nationwide. We assessed the relationship between this disruption and hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia medical encounters among beneficiaries with diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

To estimate whether the one-time change in benefit disbursement affected the monthly cycle of hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia encounter rates, we used linked administrative Medicaid claims and SNAP disbursement data from West Virginia in a fixed-effects model with interactions between week of the month and the two months of interest-January and February 2019. We controlled for week, month, year, and county effects as well as individual characteristics, and we clustered SEs by individual.

RESULTS

We found that the early disbursement of SNAP benefits in January 2019 resulted in a spike in hyperglycemia four times the rate in a typical month. Further, we found a decrease in both hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia in late February.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that the early distribution of benefits led to a temporary increase in food consumption among West Virginia Medicaid beneficiaries with diabetes. Findings from late February also imply that individuals may have a way to prepare for reduced food resources. These results shed new light on the effects of unexpected changes to the timing of safety net payments as well as an understanding of unintended consequences of government shutdowns.

Strengthening Food and Nutrition Security to Promote Public Health in the United States: A Position Paper From the American College of Physicians

Food insecurity functions as a social driver of health, directly negatively impacting health status and outcomes, which can further negatively impact employment and income and increase medical expenditures-all of which exacerbates food insecurity. Progress in meaningfully reducing the food-insecurity rate has stalled in recent years. Although rates have decreased since their peak during the Great Recession, these gains have been reversed by the economic implications of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the federal government is the largest provider of food assistance, there is much potential in better leveraging nutrition assistance programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Child Nutrition Programs to increase access to healthful foods and improve public health. However, these programs face many funding challenges and internal shortcomings that create uncertainties and prevent maximal effect. Physicians and other medical professionals also have a role in improving nutritional health by screening for food insecurity and serving as connectors between patients, community organizations, and government services. Governments and payers must support these efforts by providing sufficient resources to practices to fulfill this role. In this position paper, the American College of Physicians (ACP) offers several policy recommendations to strengthen the federal food-insecurity response and empower physicians and other medical professionals to better address those social drivers of health occurring beyond the office doors.

Financial hardship from purchasing prescription drugs among older adults in the United States before, during, and after the Medicare Part D "Donut Hole": Findings from 1998, 2001, 2015, and 2021

BACKGROUND: Cost-related nonadherence compromises successful and effective management of chronic disease. The Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA) and Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA) aimed to increase the affordability of outpatient prescription drugs for older adults (older than age 64 years). The Medicare Part D prescription drug insurance coverage gap ("donut hole") created by the MMA was fully closed in 2020 by the ACA. OBJECTIVES: To (1) describe prescription drug coverage and financial hardship from purchasing prescription drugs among older American adults for 2021, (2) compare these results with findings from data collected before the MMA and during the progressive elimination of the Medicare Part D coverage gap, and (3) compute the likelihood for financial hardship from purchasing prescription drugs using variables for year, prescription drug insurance coverage, health-related information, and demographics. METHODS: Data were obtained from 4 nationally distributed, crosssectional surveys of older adults to track coverage for and financial hardship from purchasing prescription drugs. Surveys in 1998 and 2001 were mailed to national random samples of US seniors. Of 2,434 deliverable surveys, 700 (29%) provided useable data. Data were collected in 2015 and 2021 via online surveys sent to samples of US adults. Of 27,694 usable responses, 4,445 were from older adults. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses described relationships among financial hardship and demographics, diagnoses, and daily prescription drug use. RESULTS: Five percent of older adults lacked prescription drug coverage in 2021, continuing a downward trend from 32% in 1998, 29% in 2001, and 9% in 2015. Contrastingly, 20% of older adults reported financial hardship from prescription drug purchases in 2021, bending an upward trend from 19% in 1998, 31% in 2001, and 36% in 2015. Financial hardship from purchasing prescription drugs was more likely to be reported by older adults lacking prescription drug insurance, taking multiple medications daily, and having a low annual household income across all survey years. The latter 2 of these 3 factors were still predictive of financial hardship from purchasing prescription drugs among older adults with prescription drug insurance. CONCLUSIONS: Financial hardship from purchasing prescription drugs is still experienced by many older adults after the full implementation of the MMA and ACA. Lacking prescription drug coverage, taking more than 5 prescription drugs daily, and a low annual household income may increase the likelihood of experiencing this financial hardship. Pharmacists can be a resource for older adults making choices about their prescription drug coverages and purchases. DISCLOSURES: Funding was provided by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy New Investigator Program, the University of Minnesota Grant-in-Aid of Research Program, the Peters Endowment for Pharmacy Practice Innovation, the Chapman University Research Program, and the University Minnesota Research Program.

Hypertension, Diabetes and Medication Adherence among the Older Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program Population

The burdens of chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes for older Americans are profound. Yet, data on the population-level prevalence of hypertension and diabetes among the older adult Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) population and the associated level of medication adherence is lacking despite evidence of the "treat or eat" trade-off in the general population. We used linked administrative data from SNAP and Medicaid between 2006 and 2014 in the state of Missouri to document rates of hypertension or diabetes diagnoses and medication adherence. About 69% of the study sample were found to be diagnosed with a hypertension and 40% with diabetes. Approximately 1 in 4 of those living with hypertension and 1 and 3 of those living with diabetes were nonadherent to antihypertensive or antidiabetic medications each year, on average. Furthermore, medication non-adherence increases with age and is more common among non-White and urban residents.

"Now I Feel a Little Bit More Secure": The Impact of SNAP Enrollment on Older Adult SSI Recipients

In June 2019, California expanded Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eligibility to Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries for the first time. This research assesses the experience and impact of new SNAP enrollment among older adult SSI recipients, a population characterized by social and economic precarity. We conducted semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 20 SNAP participants to explore their experiences with new SNAP benefits. Following initial coding, member-check groups allowed for participants to provide feedback on preliminary data analysis. Findings demonstrate that SNAP enrollment improved participants' access to nutritious foods of their choice, contributed to overall budgets, eased mental distress resulting from poverty, and reduced labor spent accessing food. For some participants, SNAP benefit amounts were too low to make any noticeable impact. For many participants, SNAP receipt was associated with stigma, which some considered to be a social "cost" of poverty. Increased benefit may be derived from pairing SNAP with other public benefits. Together, the impacts of and barriers to effective use of SNAP benefits gleaned from this study deepen our understanding of individual- and neighborhood-level factors driving health inequities among low-income, disabled people experiencing food insecurity and SNAP recipients.

Community-dwelling older adults who are low-income and disabled weathering financial challenges

Despite interventions aiming to improve outcomes among older adults experiencing financial challenges, the challenges and strategies employed to handle them are poorly understood. This study examined the experiences of financial challenges among low-income adults aged ≥65 years. Eleven semi-structured interviews were analyzed using thematic analyses. An overarching theme was "I guess it balances", capturing attempts to maintain hope and proactively address challenges despite stress, uncertainty and limitations. Balancing was demonstrated within four domains, including cognitive bandwidth ("think a lot" versus "I don't dwell on that"), emotional experience ("depressing" versus "be thankful"), learned resilience ("that was a shock" versus "there's always a way"), and meeting daily needs ("we learned to do without" versus "take a dollar and stretch it"). Participants described being weathered by challenges and using predominately high-effort coping strategies to weather the challenges. These findings call for strengthening the safety net for older adults facing financial challenges.

Food Insecurity and Influenza and Pneumonia Vaccines Uptake Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults in the United States

Influenza and pneumonia vaccines can reduce morbidities and mortality associated with infectious diseases among older adults. Food security, good nutrition, and high-quality diets are critical for the wellbeing of older adults. However, little is known about the relationship between food insecurity and use of preventive health services, such as influenza and pneumonia vaccinations, among older adults. In this study, we analyzed data on 40,555 adults aged ≥ 65 years from the 2014-2018 National Health Interview Survey in the United States. Through multiple hierarchical logistic regression models, we investigated the associations between food insecurity and influenza and pneumonia vaccines uptake in this population. We found that, during 2014-2018, about 12.6 million (5.3%) adults aged ≥ 65 years lived in food-insecure households in the United States. Of those, 60.6% reported getting an influenza vaccine in the past 12 months, and 54.2% reported ever getting a pneumonia vaccine. Compared to food-secure older adults, food-insecure individuals were not significantly different in terms of influenza vaccine uptake. However, they were 25% less likely to have ever gotten a pneumonia vaccine (adjusted odds ratio = 0.75, 95% CI 0.65-0.86, P < .001). Efforts should be made to develop strategies to improve immunization rates among food-insecure older adults. Healthcare providers could routinely assess their vaccination status and screen them for food insecurity. Also, community level screening and intervention programs should target food-insecure older adults, who often face structural disadvantages. Future studies could explore and identify the underlying predictive factors contributing to low pneumonia vaccination rates among food-insecure older adults.

New SNAP Eligibility in California Associated With Improved Food Security and Health

INTRODUCTION

In California, Supplemental Security Income beneficiaries were ineligible to receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits until a June 2019 policy change. The objective of this study was to determine whether SNAP eligibility was associated with changes in food insecurity and health among older adults and adults with disabilities.

METHODS

We administered a survey to SSI recipients (N = 213) before (May-August 2019) and after (September 2019-January 2020) the policy change. We examined changes in food insecurity (primary outcome), health status, stress, medication adherence, and dietary intake from baseline to follow-up. Multivariable analyses adjusted for age, sex/gender, race/ethnicity, and education.

RESULTS

Of 213 participants at baseline, 56.8% were male, 43.7% were Black/African American, 88.7% had an annual income of less than $15,000, and 89.7% were currently housed. Of 157 participants at follow-up, 114 (72.6%) were newly enrolled in SNAP. At follow-up, compared with baseline, participants were less likely to report food insecurity (83.1% vs 67.5%, P < .001), required less additional money for food ($73.33 vs $47.72 weekly, P < .001), were more likely to report excellent/very good health (26.8% vs 27.6%, P < .001), and were less likely to report cost-related medication nonadherence (24.1% vs 17.7%, P < .001) or use free food programs (82.6% vs 74.5%, P < .001). We found no changes in dietary intake.

CONCLUSION

SNAP uptake rates were high after the policy change. Policies that support older adults and adults with disabilities to enroll in or maintain SNAP benefits may improve health outcomes.

Association of a P2Y12 Inhibitor Copayment Reduction Intervention With Persistence and Adherence With Other Secondary Prevention Medications: A Post Hoc Analysis of the ARTEMIS Cluster-Randomized Clinical Trial

Importance

The Affordability and Real-World Antiplatelet Treatment Effectiveness After Myocardial Infarction Study (ARTEMIS) cluster-randomized trial found that copayment reduction for P2Y12 inhibitors improved 1-year patient persistence in taking that medication.

Objective

To assess whether providing copayment reduction for P2Y12 inhibitors increases patient persistence in taking other secondary prevention cardiovascular medications.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This post hoc analysis of the ARTEMIS trial includes data from 287 hospitals that enrolled patients between June 2015 and September 2016. Patients hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction were included. Data analysis occurred from May 2018 through August 2019.

Interventions

Hospitals randomized to the intervention provided patients vouchers that waived copayments for P2Y12 inhibitors fills for 1 year. Hospitals randomized to usual care did not provide study vouchers.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Persistence in taking β-blocker, statin, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin II receptor blocker medications at 1 year, defined as the absence of a gap in medication supply of 30 or more days by pharmacy fill data in the intervention-arm (intent-to-treat) population.

Results

A total of 131 hospitals (with 5109 patients) were randomized to the intervention, and 156 hospitals (with 3264 patients) randomized to the control group. Patients discharged from intervention hospitals had higher persistence in taking statins (2247 [46.1%] vs 1300 [41.9%]; adjusted odds ratio, 1.11 [95% CI, 1.00-1.24]), and β-blockers (2235 [47.6%] vs 1277 [42.5%]; odds ratio, 1.23 [95% CI, 1.10-1.38]), although the association was smaller than that seen for P2Y12 inhibitors (odds ratio, 1.47 [95% CI, 1.29-1.66]). Persistence in taking angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin II-receptor blockers were also numerically higher among patients in the intervention arm than in the usual-care arm, but this was not significant after risk adjustment (1520 [43.9%] vs 847 [40.5%]; adjusted odds ratio, 1.10 [95% CI, 0.97-1.24]). Patients in the intervention arm reported greater financial burden associated with medication cost than the patients in the usual-care arm at baseline, but these differences were no longer significant at 1 year.

Conclusions and Relevance

Reducing patient copayments for 1 medication class increased persistence not only to that therapy class but may also have modestly increased persistence to other post-myocardial infarction secondary prevention medications. These findings have important implications for the clinical utility and cost-effectiveness of medication cost-assistance programs.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02406677.

Conceptualizing Food Insecurity Among Older Adults: Development of a Summary Indicator in the National Health and Aging Trends Study

OBJECTIVES

Measurement of food insecurity in older adults is focused on financial barriers to food access. Given that older adults are particularly susceptible to additional access-related barriers including functional limitations and lack of social support, the objective of this study was to construct a summary indicator of food insecurity incorporating these domains.

METHODS

We used nationally representative survey data from Round 5 of the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS; n = 7,070). We constructed a summary indicator of food insecurity using factors within the following three domains: functional, social support, and financial limitations. First, we identified the prevalence of food insecurity among the sample as defined by the new summary indicator. Then, we estimated unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression models to assess the association between the expanded measure of food insecurity and biopsychosocial factors.

RESULTS

In 2015, 4.3% (95% confidence interval [CI] 3.75-4.94) of community-dwelling older adults, approximately 1,673,775 million people, were characterized as having food insecurity. Multivariable-adjusted regression models identified that being homebound (odds ratio [OR] 3.49, 95% CI 2.03, 6.00), frail (OR 9.50, 95% CI 4.92-18.37), and experiencing community disability (OR 5.19, 95% CI 3.90-6.90) was associated with food insecurity.

DISCUSSION

Food insecurity among older adults is broader than lacking adequate financial resources to obtain food; it is also associated with social and functional limitations. A more comprehensive conceptualization will aid future study on the impact of food insecurity on health status, utilization, and outcomes to inform senior nutrition program targeting and services.

Original Research: The Relationship Between Food Insecurity and Cost-Related Medication Nonadherence in Older Adults: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Food insecurity, which can be defined as having limited access to nutritional and safe foods as a result of a lack of financial resources, is believed to adversely influence health outcomes. Older adults, in particular, face rising health care costs and may be forced to choose between purchasing prescribed medications or using their limited financial resources for basic needs, such as food.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this systematic review was to examine the relationship between food insecurity and cost-related medication nonadherence (CRN) in older adults living in a community setting.

METHODS

A comprehensive electronic review of the literature was performed. Criteria for inclusion were original quantitative or qualitative research, written in English, involving community-dwelling U.S. adults 60 years of age and older.

RESULTS

Six studies met all criteria and were included for analysis. Two studies reported a significant dose-response relationship between food insecurity and CRN, and a third reported an increased risk of CRN in subjects with persistent food insecurity. Three key predictors of food insecurity and CRN in older adults were identified: low income, health insurance gaps, and higher out-of-pocket prescription costs. Most studies reported that subjects with higher food insecurity and CRN were more likely to be young-old (ages 60 to 84), have lower income, and have relatively more chronic conditions.

CONCLUSION

Overall, the findings indicate that older adults who have multiple chronic conditions and only receive Medicare are at increased risk for food insecurity and CRN. Finding ways for health care providers and organizations to help manage these risks is critical to improving health outcomes and reducing use of health care services. Nurses can be pivotal in taking the lead to develop appropriate interventions and programs for patients, and to advocate better government-funded health care and policy reform in order to improve outcomes in this vulnerable population.

Socioeconomic disparities in six-year incident dementia in a nationally representative cohort of U.S. older adults: an examination of financial resources

Background

Less educational training is consistently associated with incident dementia among older adults, but associations between income and financial strain with incident dementia have not been well tested in national samples. This is an important gap because, like education, financial resources are potentially modifiable by policy change and strengthening the social safety net. This study tested whether financial resources (income and financial strain) predict six-year incident dementia independent of education and occupation.

Methods

The National Health and Aging Trends Study is a prospective cohort study that recruited a nationally representative sample of U.S. Medicare beneficiaries aged ≥65 years. Incident dementia (2013 to 2018) was classified based on diagnosis, cognitive test scores or proxy-reported changes among participants dementia-free in 2012 (n = 3785). Baseline socioeconomic measures included income to poverty ratio (analyzed separately for those < 500% vs. ≥500% poverty threshold), financial strain, education and history of professional occupation. Discrete time survival analysis applied survey weights to account for study design and nonresponse. Coefficients were standardized to compare the strength of associations across the four socioeconomic measures.

Results

Adjusting for socioeconomic measures, demographic characteristics, home ownership, retirement, chronic conditions, smoking, BMI and depressive symptoms, higher income (hazard OR = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.74, 0.95 among those < 500% poverty) and higher education (hOR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.65, 0.83) were associated with lower odds, and financial strain with higher odds (hOR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.09, 1.31), of incident dementia.

Conclusion

Low income and greater financial strain predict incident dementia among older adults and associations are comparable to those of low education among U.S. older adults. Interventions to mitigate financial strain through improving access to economic opportunity and strengthening safety net programs and improving access to them in low income groups may complement other ongoing efforts to prevent dementia.

Addressing Social Determinants of Health Within Healthcare Delivery Systems: a Framework to Ground and Inform Health Outcomes

Social determinants of health (SDoH) are the conditions in which people live and work that shape access to essential social and economic resources. Calls for healthcare systems to intervene on unmet social needs have stimulated several large-scale initiatives across the country. Yet, such activities are underway in the absence of a unifying conceptual framework outlining the potential mechanisms by which healthcare-based unmet social need interventions can improve health outcomes. Drawing on theoretical foundations and empirical evidence about the relationship between unmet social needs and health, the authors developed the OASIS (Outcomes from Addressing SDoH in Systems) conceptual framework to map the known and hypothesized pathways by which unmet social need screening and referral interventions may impact outcomes. The OASIS framework may help guide policy makers, healthcare system leaders, clinicians, and researchers to utilize a more unified approach in their efforts to implement and evaluate unmet social need interventions and thus foster the development of an evidence base to inform healthcare systems to more effectively mitigate the consequences of unmet social needs. Adopting an overarching conceptual framework for addressing unmet social needs by healthcare systems holds promise for better achieving health equity and promoting health at the individual and population levels.

Links of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program With Food Insecurity, Poverty, and Health: Evidence and Potential

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a highly effective program, vital to our nation's health and well-being. SNAP's entitlement funding structure allows it to provide benefits to anyone who meets the program's eligibility requirements, and this structure also enables SNAP to respond quickly when need increases. Research shows that SNAP reduces poverty for millions, improves food security, and is linked with improved health.Despite SNAP's successes, there is room to build on its considerable accomplishments. Evidence suggests that current benefit levels are not adequate for many households. Some vulnerable groups have limited SNAP eligibility, and some eligible individuals face barriers to SNAP participation.Policymakers should address these shortcomings by increasing SNAP benefits and expanding SNAP eligibility to underserved groups. The federal government and states should also continue improving policies and procedures to improve access for eligible individuals.

Food Insecurity Among Veterans: Resources to Screen and Intervene

A screener was created in the VA electronic health record clinical reminder system to facilitate an interdisciplinary approach to identifying and addressing food insecurity.

Combined effects of disease management and food insecurity on physical and mental health in Korean adults

OBJECTIVE

The present study aimed to examine the combined effects of disease management and food insecurity on physical and mental health in a representative Korean population.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2012-2015.

PARTICIPANTS

Adults aged ≥30 years (n 17 934) who participated in the KNHANES.

RESULTS

Among health-care factors, unmet health-care needs and mental health counselling were different by food insecurity status, with a higher prevalence in adults with food insecurity. The prevalence of underweight was higher in men with food insecurity (5·9 %), whereas the prevalence of obesity was higher in women with food insecurity (37·4 %), than that in men and women with food security. Food insecurity was associated with a high risk of all mental health outcomes. For the combined effects of disease management and food insecurity, unmet health-care needs was related to increased risk of obesity for food-insecure men (Pinteraction = 0·029) and lack of participation in nutrition education or counselling was related to increased risk of obesity for food-insecure women (Pinteraction = 0·010). In addition, higher unmet health-care needs in adults with food insecurity was related to higher risk of mental health outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Unmet health-care needs may exacerbate obesity for food-insecure men and mental health problems for both food-insecure men and women. In addition, lack of participation in nutrition education or counselling may exacerbate the obesity for food-insecure women.

Impacting Health through Cross-Border Pharmaceutical Purchases

Annually, retirees known as Winter Texans travel to spend the winter along the Texas/Mexico border and while there, many purchase medicine in Mexico. However, strategies that are used when purchasing Mexican medicine and the health implications of doing so have not been adequately explored. The results of the study we report illustrate that Winter Texans are knowledgeable about their healthcare and act more as choice-making consumers than patients seeking care. Furthermore, the use of Mexican medication did not increase rates of adverse drug events or decrease health-related quality of life scores.

State-Level and County-Level Estimates of Health Care Costs Associated with Food Insecurity

INTRODUCTION

Food insecurity, or uncertain access to food because of limited financial resources, is associated with higher health care expenditures. However, both food insecurity prevalence and health care spending vary widely in the United States. To inform public policy, we estimated state-level and county-level health care expenditures associated with food insecurity.

METHODS

We used linked 2011-2013 National Health Interview Survey/Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data (NHIS/MEPS) data to estimate average health care costs associated with food insecurity, Map the Meal Gap data to estimate state-level and county-level food insecurity prevalence (current though 2016), and Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care data to account for local variation in health care prices and intensity of use. We used targeted maximum likelihood estimation to estimate health care costs associated with food insecurity, separately for adults and children, adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics.

RESULTS

Among NHIS/MEPS participants, 10,054 adults and 3,871 children met inclusion criteria. Model estimates indicated that food insecure adults had annual health care expenditures that were $1,834 (95% confidence interval [CI], $1,073-$2,595, P < .001) higher than food secure adults. For children, estimates were $80 higher, but this finding was not significant (95% CI, -$171 to $329, P = .53). The median annual health care cost associated with food insecurity was $687,041,000 (25th percentile, $239,675,000; 75th percentile, $1,140,291,000). The median annual county-level health care cost associated with food insecurity was $4,433,000 (25th percentile, $1,774,000; 75th percentile, $11,267,000). Cost variability was related primarily to food insecurity prevalence.

CONCLUSIONS

Health care expenditures associated with food insecurity vary substantially across states and counties. Food insecurity policies may be important mechanisms to contain health care expenditures.

Prescription medication nonadherence associated with food insecurity: a population-based cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Food insecurity, defined as inadequate access to food owing to financial constraints, has been associated with poor disease management. Because cost-related nonadherence to prescription drugs is a possible explanation for such association, we examined the link between food insecurity and cost-related medication nonadherence in Canada.

METHODS

Drawing on data for adult respondents (age ≥ 18 yr) who participated in the Canadian Community Health Survey 2016 Rapid Response module on prescription medication use, we assessed the association between household food insecurity and cost-related nonadherence to prescription drugs in the previous 12 months. We further examined the self-perceived health consequences of cost-related nonadherence among nonadherents. We applied Poisson models with bootstrap weights adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics.

RESULTS

Of the 11 172 respondents in our sample, 930 (8.3%) reported cost-related nonadherence. Food insecurity affected 10.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] 9.1% to 11.8%) of adherents and 47.9% (95% CI 38.1% to 57.7%) of nonadherents. After adjustment for confounders, moderate and severe food insecurity were associated with 3.83 (95% CI 2.44 to 6.03) and 5.05 (95% CI 3.27 to 7.81) times higher prevalence of cost-related nonadherence, respectively, relative to food security. Despite being associated with lower probability of cost-related nonadherence, having drug insurance did not change the relation between food insecurity and cost-related nonadherence (p > 0.1 for all interactions). Severe food insecurity was correlated with higher prevalence of health deterioration and greater use of health care services as perceived consequences of cost-related nonadherence (p < 0.01 for both).

INTERPRETATION

Food-insecure adults in Canada have a higher likelihood of cost-related nonadherence to prescription medications than their food-secure counterparts, which may constitute a burden on their health and lead to greater use of health care services.