Skip to main content

Main menu

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current issue
    • Past issues
    • Early releases
    • Collections
    • Sections
    • Blog
    • Infographics & illustrations
    • Podcasts
    • COVID-19 Articles
  • Authors & Reviewers
    • Overview for authors
    • Submission guidelines
    • Submit a manuscript
    • Forms
    • Editorial process
    • Editorial policies
    • Peer review process
    • Publication fees
    • Reprint requests
    • Open access
    • Patient engagement
  • Members & Subscribers
    • Benefits for CMA Members
    • CPD Credits for Members
    • Subscribe to CMAJ Print
    • Subscription Prices
  • Alerts
    • Email alerts
    • RSS
  • JAMC
    • À propos
    • Numéro en cours
    • Archives
    • Sections
    • Abonnement
    • Alertes
    • Trousse média 2023
  • CMAJ JOURNALS
    • CMAJ Open
    • CJS
    • JAMC
    • JPN

User menu

Search

  • Advanced search
CMAJ
  • CMAJ JOURNALS
    • CMAJ Open
    • CJS
    • JAMC
    • JPN
CMAJ

Advanced Search

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current issue
    • Past issues
    • Early releases
    • Collections
    • Sections
    • Blog
    • Infographics & illustrations
    • Podcasts
    • COVID-19 Articles
  • Authors & Reviewers
    • Overview for authors
    • Submission guidelines
    • Submit a manuscript
    • Forms
    • Editorial process
    • Editorial policies
    • Peer review process
    • Publication fees
    • Reprint requests
    • Open access
    • Patient engagement
  • Members & Subscribers
    • Benefits for CMA Members
    • CPD Credits for Members
    • Subscribe to CMAJ Print
    • Subscription Prices
  • Alerts
    • Email alerts
    • RSS
  • JAMC
    • À propos
    • Numéro en cours
    • Archives
    • Sections
    • Abonnement
    • Alertes
    • Trousse média 2023
  • Visit CMAJ on Facebook
  • Follow CMAJ on Twitter
  • Follow CMAJ on Pinterest
  • Follow CMAJ on Youtube
  • Follow CMAJ on Instagram
Research

The effect of cost on adherence to prescription medications in Canada

Michael R. Law, Lucy Cheng, Irfan A. Dhalla, Deborah Heard and Steven G. Morgan
CMAJ February 21, 2012 184 (3) 297-302; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.111270
Michael R. Law
Centre for Health Services and Policy Research (Law, Cheng, Heard, Morgan), School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC; the Department of Medicine (Dhalla), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute (Dhalla), St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, Ont.; and the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (Dhalla), Toronto, Ont.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • For correspondence: mlaw@chspr.ubc.ca
Lucy Cheng
Centre for Health Services and Policy Research (Law, Cheng, Heard, Morgan), School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC; the Department of Medicine (Dhalla), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute (Dhalla), St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, Ont.; and the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (Dhalla), Toronto, Ont.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Irfan A. Dhalla
Centre for Health Services and Policy Research (Law, Cheng, Heard, Morgan), School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC; the Department of Medicine (Dhalla), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute (Dhalla), St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, Ont.; and the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (Dhalla), Toronto, Ont.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Deborah Heard
Centre for Health Services and Policy Research (Law, Cheng, Heard, Morgan), School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC; the Department of Medicine (Dhalla), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute (Dhalla), St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, Ont.; and the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (Dhalla), Toronto, Ont.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Steven G. Morgan
Centre for Health Services and Policy Research (Law, Cheng, Heard, Morgan), School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC; the Department of Medicine (Dhalla), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute (Dhalla), St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, Ont.; and the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (Dhalla), Toronto, Ont.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • Article
  • Figures & Tables
  • Related Content
  • Responses
  • Metrics
  • PDF
Loading

Article Figures & Tables

Figures

  • Tables
  • Figure 1:
    • Download figure
    • Open in new tab
    • Download powerpoint
    Figure 1:

    Predicted probabilities of cost-related nonadherence among Canadians by income level. Error bars indicate 95% confidence intervals. Income levels are based on annual household incomess: low = less than $20 000, low/medium = $20 000–$39 999, medium = $40 000–$59 999, medium/high = $60 000–$79 999, high = $ 80 000 or more.

Tables

  • Figures
    • View popup
    Table 1:

    Characteristics and prevalence of cost-related nonadherence among respondents to the Canadian Community Health Survey in 2007

    CharacteristicRespondents with complete data, no.Respondents who received a prescription, no.Respondents who reported cost- related nonadherence, no.Weighted prevalence of cost-related nonadherence,* % (95% CI)
    Overall791757325409.6 (8.4–10.7)
    Province
    Atlantic provinces119188910511.9 (8.9–14.9)
    Quebec15421062687.2 (4.5–9.8)
    Ontario262919321689.1 (7.2–11.0)
    Saskatchewan and Manitoba947686718.9 (6.0–11.7)
    Alberta777565407.6 (4.6–10.7)
    British Columbia8315988817.0 (12.6–21.4)
    Age, yr
    12–34211612951359.4 (7.2–11.6)
    35–4412538098611.4 (8.2–14.7)
    45–642813212122910.8 (8.7–12.9)
    ≥ 6517351507904.8 (3.6–6.0)
    Sex
    Female4363345335810.7 (9.2–12.2)
    Male355422791828.2 (6.4–9.9)
    Health status
    Excellent or very good457329932076.9 (5.6–8.2)
    Good2341182017310.4 (8.0–12.8)
    Fair or poor100391916020.1 (15.7–24.4)
    Chronic conditions, no.
    0468727972218.2 (6.7–9.7)
    11880163717111.2 (8.7–13.7)
    ≥ 21350129814812.4 (9.8–15.1)
    Annual household income, $
    < 20 00094876413620.5 (15.2–25.8)
    20 000–39 9991663127014313.7 (10.7–16.7)
    40 000–59 9991469105410210.5 (7.8–13.3)
    60 000–79 99912368677110.4 (7.1–13.6)
    ≥ 80 00026011777885.4 (3.9–6.9)
    Level of education
    Less than high school178712281007.3 (4.9–9.8)
    High school12138618111.9 (8.1–15.6)
    Some postsecondary5163764812.8 (7.8–17.7)
    Postsecondary graduate440132673119.2 (7.8–10.6)
    Insurance coverage for prescription drugs
    Yes650648403376.8 (5.7–7.8)
    No141189220326.5 (21.8–31.3)
    • Note: CI = confidence interval.

    • ↵* Percentages were calculated using number of respondents who reported receiving a prescription, weighted to represent the overall Canadian population.

    • View popup
    Table 2:

    Factors associated with cost-related nonadherence among respondents to the Canadian Community Health Survey 2007 who reported having received one or more prescriptions for medication

    VariableOR (95% CI)
    Province
    Atlantic provinces1.21 (0.71–2.07)
    Quebec1.26 (0.76–2.07)
    Ontario (reference)1.00
    Saskatchewan and Manitoba1.08 (0.59–1.97)
    Alberta1.19 (0.61–2.31)
    British Columbia2.56 (1.49–4.42)
    Age, yr
    12–344.70 (2.91–7.60)
    35–445.57 (3.45–8.98)
    45–643.74 (2.55–5.49)
    ≥ 65 (reference)1.00
    Sex
    Female1.17 (0.86–1.59)
    Male (reference)1.00
    Health status
    Excellent or very good (reference)1.00
    Good1.35 (0.95–1.93)
    Fair or poor2.64 (1.77–3.94)
    Chronic conditions
    0 (reference)1.00
    11.35 (0.92–1.98)
    ≥ 21.61 (1.07–2.43)
    Annual household income, $
    < 20 0003.29 (2.03–5.33)
    20 000–39 9992.47 (1.59–3.84)
    40 000–59 9991.84 (1.18–2.85)
    60 000–79 9991.87 (1.17–3.00)
    ≥ 80 000 (reference)1.00
    Level of education
    Less than high school0.58 (0.33–1.04)
    High school (reference)1.00
    Some postsecondary1.12 (0.61–2.05)
    Postsecondary graduate0.99 (0.65–1.50)
    Insurance coverage for prescription drugs
    Yes (reference)1.00
    No4.52 (3.29–6.20)
    • Note: CI = confidence interval, OR = odds ratio.

PreviousNext
Back to top

In this issue

Canadian Medical Association Journal: 184 (3)
CMAJ
Vol. 184, Issue 3
21 Feb 2012
  • Table of Contents
  • Index by author

Article tools

Respond to this article
Print
Download PDF
Article Alerts
To sign up for email alerts or to access your current email alerts, enter your email address below:
Email Article

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word on CMAJ.

NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
The effect of cost on adherence to prescription medications in Canada
(Your Name) has sent you a message from CMAJ
(Your Name) thought you would like to see the CMAJ web site.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Citation Tools
The effect of cost on adherence to prescription medications in Canada
Michael R. Law, Lucy Cheng, Irfan A. Dhalla, Deborah Heard, Steven G. Morgan
CMAJ Feb 2012, 184 (3) 297-302; DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.111270

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
‍ Request Permissions
Share
The effect of cost on adherence to prescription medications in Canada
Michael R. Law, Lucy Cheng, Irfan A. Dhalla, Deborah Heard, Steven G. Morgan
CMAJ Feb 2012, 184 (3) 297-302; DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.111270
Digg logo Reddit logo Twitter logo Facebook logo Google logo Mendeley logo
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like

Jump to section

  • Article
    • Abstract
    • Methods
    • Results
    • Interpretation
    • Acknowledgements
    • Footnotes
    • References
  • Figures & Tables
  • Related Content
  • Responses
  • Metrics
  • PDF

Related Articles

  • Highlights
  • Compliance packaging: Be aware of the hidden cost
  • PubMed
  • Google Scholar

Cited By...

  • Assessing variation among the national essential medicines lists of 21 high-income countries: a cross-sectional study
  • Effect of free distribution of medicines on the process of care for adult patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes and hypertension: post hoc analysis of randomised controlled trial findings
  • Universal Drug Coverage and Socioeconomic Disparities in Health Care Costs Among Persons With Diabetes
  • The mirage of universality: Canadas failure to act on social policy and health care
  • Exploring the experiences of people in Ontario, Canada who have trouble affording medicines: a qualitative concept mapping study
  • Compliance packaging: Be aware of the hidden cost
  • Acceptability and feasibility of a national essential medicines list in Canada: a qualitative study of perceptions of decision-makers and policy stakeholders
  • Prescription medication nonadherence associated with food insecurity: a population-based cross-sectional study
  • Demographic characteristics and cost of treatment among oncology patients in a publicly funded system, the Ontario Trillium Drug Program: a retrospective cohort study
  • Should national pharmacare apply a value-based insurance design?
  • Impact of a household-level deductible on prescription drug use among lower-income adults: a quasi-experimental study
  • Public prescription drug plan coverage for antiretrovirals and the potential cost to people living with HIV in Canada: a descriptive study
  • Patterns of borrowing to finance out-of-pocket prescription drug costs in Canada: a descriptive analysis
  • Improving the quality of health care in Canada
  • The consequences of patient charges for prescription drugs in Canada: a cross-sectional survey
  • Testing and treatment for obstructive sleep apnea in Canada: funding models must change
  • Social considerations of inflammatory bowel disease in Southern Israel
  • Protocol for a randomised controlled trial evaluating the effects of providing essential medicines at no charge: the Carefully seLected and Easily Accessible at No Charge Medicines (CLEAN Meds) trial
  • Impact of income-based deductibles on drug use and health care utilization among older adults
  • Medication access via hospital admission
  • Lacces aux medicaments par lhospitalisation
  • Canadian list of essential medications: Potential and uncertainties
  • Liste canadienne des medicaments essentiels: Potentiel et incertitudes
  • Potential contribution of lifestyle and socioeconomic factors to healthy user bias in antihypertensives and lipid-lowering drugs
  • The effects of catastrophic drug plan deductibles on older women's use of cardiovascular medicines: a retrospective cohort study
  • Development of a preliminary essential medicines list for Canada
  • Estimated effects of adding universal public coverage of an essential medicines list to existing public drug plans in Canada
  • Cost-related non-adherence to prescribed medicines among older adults: a cross-sectional analysis of a survey in 11 developed countries
  • Cost-related nonadherence to prescribed medicines among older Canadians in 2014: a cross-sectional analysis of a telephone survey
  • Estimated cost of universal public coverage of prescription drugs in Canada
  • Concretiser les promesses du regime d'assurance-maladie
  • Delivering on the promise of Medicare
  • Addressing cost-related barriers to prescription drug use in Canada
  • Chronic Physical and Mental Health Conditions among Adults May Increase Vulnerability to Household Food Insecurity
  • The road to competitive generic drug prices in Canada
  • Universal Drug Coverage and Socioeconomic Disparities in Major Diabetes Outcomes
  • Leadership on prescription drugs needed
  • Google Scholar

More in this TOC Section

  • Booster vaccination with inactivated whole-virus or mRNA vaccines and COVID-19–related deaths among people with multimorbidity: a cohort study
  • Association between virtual primary care and emergency department use during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario, Canada
  • Survival and health care costs after inpatient elective surgery: comparison of patients with and without chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Show more Research

Similar Articles

Collections

  • Topics
    • Health care coverage
    • Health economics

 

View Latest Classified Ads

Content

  • Current issue
  • Past issues
  • Collections
  • Sections
  • Blog
  • Podcasts
  • Alerts
  • RSS
  • Early releases

Information for

  • Advertisers
  • Authors
  • Reviewers
  • CMA Members
  • CPD credits
  • Media
  • Reprint requests
  • Subscribers

About

  • General Information
  • Journal staff
  • Editorial Board
  • Advisory Panels
  • Governance Council
  • Journal Oversight
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • Copyright and Permissions
  • Accessibiity
  • CMA Civility Standards
CMAJ Group

Copyright 2023, CMA Impact Inc. or its licensors. All rights reserved. ISSN 1488-2329 (e) 0820-3946 (p)

All editorial matter in CMAJ represents the opinions of the authors and not necessarily those of the Canadian Medical Association or its subsidiaries.

To receive any of these resources in an accessible format, please contact us at CMAJ Group, 500-1410 Blair Towers Place, Ottawa ON, K1J 9B9; p: 1-888-855-2555; e: cmajgroup@cmaj.ca

Powered by HighWire