The Prevalence of Prescription Drugs
Medication plays an integral role in the lives of a large part of today’s population. In a study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers found that from 2000 to 2012, the percentage of people taking five or more prescription medications nearly doubled from 8% to 15%. In addition to taking more medications, Dispensus discovered that approximately 66% of survey respondents take medication outside of their home.
The Non-Adherence Problem
Despite the critical role medication plays in combating disease and maintaining health, the majority of people who are prescribed medication choose to not take their pills. This choice in favor of non-compliance causes a number of costly health related issues. Every year the United States spends over a quarter of a trillion dollars on hospitalizations due to drug non-adherence.
Why Are Doses Being Missed?
Dispensus chose to output an online survey to find out why exactly individuals were choosing to skip doses. The survey consisted of 88 respondents who self identified as individuals who take prescription medication. The bar graph below outlines the various responses, with ‘Forgetting at Home’ as the highest at 47.1%.
Additionally, many respondents identified as having reservations about taking medication in public. Direct respondent quotes, shown below, illustrate a major pain point in the lives of medication users.
