Hispanics and African Americans Troubled By High Cost of Prescription Drugs
By: Source: AARP.org Date Posted: 2007-05-25 13:10:00-04:00
People put their health and the well-being of their families at risk when they cannot afford prescription drugs they need or if they try to save money by taking them in ways other than directed.
AARP commissioned telephone interviews in December 2006 with 1,000 Hispanics 18 and over and 1,000 African Americans 18 and over to examine how members of these communities cope with the cost of prescription drugs.
People were asked about their experience paying for prescription drugs and whether they supported legislative initiatives in their states to lower the cost of drugs. Examples of such remedies include preferred drug lists (PDLs), bulk purchasing programs and requirements that drug companies report various marketing costs. Support for these measures is strong among both groups.
About three-fourths of those interviewed bought prescription drugs during the past year, 73 percent of Hispanics and 76 percent of African Americans. About four in 10 individuals in both groups had some difficulty paying for their drugs, Hispanics, 41 percent, and African Americans, 38 percent. When asked about their ability to pay for prescription drugs over the next two years, 61 percent of Hispanics expressed concern as did 68 percent of African Americans.
High costs led about one-third of the interviewees in both groups to take potentially risky measures. One fourth of Hispanics delayed filling a prescription as did 27 percent of African Americans; 16 percent of Hispanics skipped doses as did 22 percent of African Americans, and 14 percent of Hispanics took less medicine as did 27 percent of African Americans.
According to a 2007 Kaiser Family Foundation report, white Americans are more likely to have health insurance and prescription drug coverage than other racial and ethnic groups while African Americans are most likely to be enrolled in Medicaid or have some other public insurance.
AARP 2006 Prescription Drug Study With Hispanics and African Americans is at aarp.org.
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