The browser you are using is not supported by this website. All versions of Internet Explorer are no longer supported, either by us or Microsoft (read more here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/windows/end-of-ie-support).

Please use a modern browser to fully experience our website, such as the newest versions of Edge, Chrome, Firefox or Safari etc.

Socioeconomic disadvantage and primary non-adherence with medication in Sweden

På svenska

Author

  • Sarah Wamala
  • Juan Merlo
  • Gunnel Bostrom
  • Christer Hogstedt
  • Gunner Agren

Summary, in English

Objective. Lack of adherence with pharmacological therapy is a public health concern that compels tremendous costs for the health care system and the community. To analyse the association between socioeconomic disadvantage and primary nonadherence with medication, and to explore possible mediating effects of trust in health care and lifestyle profile. Design. Cross-sectional population-based study based on data from the Swedish national public health surveys 2004-2005. Participants. The study comprised 13603 men and 18292 women aged 21-84 years who had any contact with a physician at a hospital or primary care centre. Measures. Primary non-adherence with medication based on whether respondents reported that they refrained from purchasing at the pharmacy prescribed medication. Socioeconomic Disadvantage Index was based on four different indicators of economic deprivation. Results. Socioeconomic disadvantage was associated with primary non-adherence with medication independent of long-term illness, risky lifestyle, low education, living alone and low trust for health care. This association increased with older age, particularly among women. Among individuals aged 21-34 years, severe compared with no socioeconomic disadvantage, was associated with two-fold increased odds for non-adherence with medication. The: corresponding odds among individuals aged 65-84 years were three-fold increase among elderly men (OR = 3.3, 95% CI: 1.4-7.8) and six-fold increase among elderly women (OR = 6.2, 95% CI: 2.5-15.3). Yet every seventh elderly woman aged 65-84 years suffered from long-term illness. Conclusions. Results indicate that health policies for 'care on equal terms' in Sweden have been less successful in relation to equitable access to prescribed medication, especially among the elderly.

Publishing year

2007

Language

English

Pages

134-140

Publication/Series

International Journal for Quality in Health Care

Volume

19

Issue

3

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Oxford University Press

Topic

  • Health Care Service and Management, Health Policy and Services and Health Economy

Keywords

  • non-adherence
  • socioeconomic disadvantage
  • elderly
  • medication
  • gender
  • socioeconomic inequalities

Status

Published

Research group

  • Social Epidemiology

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1464-3677