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

• Autores: Mithuna Srinivasan, Jennifer A. Pooler
• Localización: American journal of public health, ISSN 0090-0036, Vol. 108, Nº. 2, 2018, págs. 224-230
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • Objectives. To estimate the impact of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participation on cost-related medication nonadherence (CRN) for older adults in the United States, with a particular focus on those who are food insecure and those threatened by hunger. Methods. We used propensity score matching to create matched intervention and comparison groups of SNAP-eligible US adults aged 60 years and older with data from the 2013–2015 National Health Interview Survey. Intervention group participants were identified on the basis of self-reported SNAP participation in the past year. Results. SNAP participants were 4.8 percentage points less likely to engage in CRN than eligible nonparticipants (P < .01).The effect of SNAP is about twice as large for older adults threatened by hunger (9.1 percentage points; P < .01), and considerable even for those who are food insecure (7.4 percentage points; P < .05). Conclusions. Findings point to a spillover “income effect” as SNAP may help older adults better afford their medications, conceivably by reducing out-of-pocket food expenditures. When prescribing treatment plans, health systems and payers have a vested interest in connecting older patients to SNAP and other resources that may help address barriers to care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]